Armenian Cemetery - Telangana Heritage, Art & Culture

It is believed that the Armenians came to India as traders through the overland route, crossing Persia, Afghanistan and established their commercial centres in Hyderabad. They eventually came to serve under Qutb Shahis and the Nizams of Hyderabad.

The burial complex is enclosed within a compound wall, with an entrance towards the east. Under a four pillar structure are tombs that have epitaphs engraved on them. These epitaphs are arranged according to the Great Armenian Era dating system, the starting point of which is still a matter of debate.

The view followed is that the Armenians had adopted the Quinn centenary cycle of Areas they reckoned 562 -The date on which the latter calendar was devised the tenth year of their own cycle. Thus 552 became the first year of the Great Armenian Era.