Antiquity The area of modern-day Shengavit has been populated since at least 3200 BC, during the period of
Kura–Araxes culture of the Early Bronze Age. Excavations at the
Shengavit historical site started in 1936 and lasted until 1938 under the guidance of archaeologist Yevgeny Bayburdyan who dug a trial trench at the hill which in turn led to further archaeological work to be done at the site. Archaeologist Sandro Sardarian resumed the excavations between 1958 and 1983, but his work was poorly documented. He left insufficient records to pinpoint exact locations where artifacts were found. In 2000, extensive excavation process was launched under the guidance of archaeologist Hakop Simonyan, who dug stratigraphic trenches at the edges of the old trenches excavated by Bayburdian and Sardarian. In 2009, Simonyan was joined by professor Mitchell S. Rothman from
Widener University of
Pennsylvania. Together they conducted three series of excavations in 2009, 2010, and 2012 respectively. During the process, a full stratigraphic column to bedrock was reached, showing there to be 8 or 9 distinct stratigraphic levels. These levels cover a time between 3200 BC and 2500 BC. Evidences of later use of the site (until 2200 BC) were also found. The excavation process revealed a series of large buildings, round buildings with square adjoining rooms and simple round buildings. Particularly notable are a series of ritual installations discovered in 2010 and 2012. The archaeological site of Karmir Blur dates back to the first half of the 7th century BC. It is home to the historical city of
Teishebaini was built by
Rusa II of
Urartu.
Modern history After the Sovietization of Armenia, the administrative area of Erivan (Yerevan) was gradually expanded to include the abandoned settlements of historic Shengavit. In 1938, the
Spandaryan raion (Спандарянский район) was formed by the decision of the
Supreme Soviet of the
Armenian SSR, thus laying foundation for the future Shengavit District. Charbakh neighbourhood which is currently within the Shengavit District, was originally formed as a small village in 1924 at the south of the historic
Teishebaini site of Karmir Blur hill. The name
Charbakh is derived from the Persian words of
char (چهار) meaning
four, and
bagh (باغ) meaning
garden. The origin of the name is from the 4 farms or gardens that existed earlier in the area at the southeast of Shengavit, on the left bank of
Hrazdan River. The village was mainly home to Armenian migrants from
Nakhichevan and
Van. With the notable expansion of Charbakh during the 1950s, the village was divided into Verin Charbakh (Higher Charbakh) and Nerkin Charbakh (Lower Charbakh). In 1958, Charbakh became part of the newly-formed
Shahumyan raion (Шаумянский район), thus becoming absorbed by the city Yerevan. After the independence of Armenia, the
Shengavit District was formed in 1996, including the territories of the former
Spandaryan raion (Спандарянский район), parts of the former
Ordzhonikidze raion (Орджоникидзевский район), and the neighbourhood of Charbakh of the former
Shahumyan raion (Шаумянский район). ==Demographics==