Mount Kapaz

 mountain, summit

Geography:
Mount Kapaz (Azerbaijani: Kəpəz dağı [prononced: Kepez Daghi]) or Alharak (Armenian: Ալհարակ լեռ [Romanized: Alharak Ler] ) is a mountain in South Caucasus at the east of Armenian Highland. According to jurisdiction of Azerbaijan, actually controlling its territory, it towers at south of Goygol Rayon of Azerbaijan. According to jurisdiction of unrecognized Republic of Artsakh it towers on the boundary of Azerbaijan and Shahumyan District of Republic of Artsakh, that is under Azerbaijani occupation since the 1991. Kapaz rises 3,065 meters above the sea level. It is located next to Lake Göygöl (formerly known as Kanach). The ice melting off the mount feeds the waters of lake with pure water. A famous "Göygöl Winery" utilizes some of that pure water for production of certains brands of vodka such as "Khan-VIP", "Khan Export" and "Khan Premium" which gained it gold and bronze medals at "United Vodka-2008" competition in Brussels.

History:
At Ancient times and Middle Ages, the mountain was called Alharak and was located in Province of Artsakh (Greater Armenia) and Princedom of Gyulistan (Principality of Khachen). Armenian historian Kirakos Gandzaketsi mentioned Mount Alkharak describing a devastating earthquake in 1139, when a huge mountain range collapsed and blocked the bed of the tributary of the Qurak River, where Lake Kanach (currently called Göygöl) was formed later. American historian Robert Husen depicted the mount Alharak on the historical map of 11th-century Gardman District of Artsakh - the province of Historical Armenia. Classic of Persian poetry Nizami Ganjavi is mentioned the mount Alharak in the chapter "Shapur's trip to Armenia for Shirin" in his poem "Khosrov and Shirin".

Archeology:
Archeological findings of ancient communal items in recent years near Kapaz and Qoshqar mounts and near Kura River in Ganja vicinity confirm the area was a place of early inhabitants.