Plotted in Points: Mapping Memory and Absence Across the Armenian Ruins of Kars

Ani, as a historical site, has been contested and defined by politically motivated restrictions for centuries. Located in the Kars region, which borders Armenia, it has been under the control of the sovereign state of Turkey for the past 100 years. In 2020, a 3D scan of The Church of the Redeemer in Ani was made publicly accessible through the World Monuments Fund, allowing an audience of dislocated viewers a 360-degree view of the building. The author argues that this scan and the recent reimagination of Ani as a touristic attraction should be viewed within the context of a long history of the image of Ani, and how technology and spatial constraints in representation have been used as a tool to shape the site’s narrative. As a counter-act, this research draws attention to the largely abandoned and disregarded Armenian ruins outside the ancient city of Ani and across the Kars region. It explores their significance for the Armenian people, living both in Turkey and Armenia, as well as the wider diaspora spread across various geographies. Through a digital mapping exercise, this research aims to expand the narrative of these historic and culturally significant sites, using photogrammetry scans of the ruins alongside situated and historical research. These digital media can be used as subversive tools, not just to offer a single alternate narrative, but to multiply the potential narratives, inviting the underrepresented histories and voices to gain space. Instead of using the 3D scan for architectural or archaeological surveying, I present it as an apparatus to explore and visually present the ruin’s scars and stories.