Iki-zoloukh

Due to its position on an average altitude, the western part overlooks staring at the horizon the majority of Kessab, Douzaghaj and Korkouna villages. The village is completely closed from the other three sides. The ascending back road passing through Ajam leads to Baghjaghaz and Bassit.
Previously, Iki-zoloukh was considered a crowded small village, consisting mainly of one district. Hence this district was spread along a descending road; it was separated into an upper quarter and a lower quarter. This village was built at the beginning of the 19th century.
It is thought that the main families residing in this village; namely the Toutikian, Ashekian, Segian, Sahagian, Taslakian and Talmazian families, descend from the Mardigian lineage.
The main occupation of the villagers was grazing and agriculture. Potatoes in Kessab were first cultivated in Iki-zoloukh.
During the calamity in 1909, the villagers abandoned their village and took refuge in the Latin monastery in Baghjaghaz together with the refugees coming from Chakaljek and Korkouna. From there, the escapee moved towards the port of Bassit. The Turks meanwhile put the village to fire and destruction.
When the Outman Empire was ruling the region, Iki-zoloukh was considered the last village within the province of Aleppo located on a short distance from the superintendence of Lattakia. This was the last village to be gutted by the Turks. After their return from Lattakia, the villagers rebuilt their houses in a quick pace and reestablished their economy. In 1911, they started the process of constructing the church building which remained uncompleted because of the genocide.
In August 1915, the dwellers of Iki-zoloukh were deliberately deported and the village lost more than three thirds of its residents.
During 1920 and 1922 when there was no official authority ruling the region, Joe Toutigian organized a group of volunteered soldiers to provide security not only to the village, but also to the valley of honey ‘meghratsor’ and the villages located on the southern side of Iki-zoloukh. There was a strong connection established between Joe and the foundation centre in Kessab.
The people in Iki-zoloukh did not welcome the idea of repatriation. Only 20 individuals repatriated to Armenia.
Since the middle of the 20th century, Armenians from Aleppo started investing in Iki-zoloukh.
Iki-zoloukh was the first village to have the road linking it with Kessab paved, to have water network and electricity.
Next to Ajam locates a large camp belonging to the AGBU organization.

The church
In 1855, all the people in Iki-zoloukh turned to evangelism. This change involved a spiritual and educational movement in the village. At the beginning they used one of the houses in the village as a school and a place for warship until they constructed the church building in the upper quarter. The church building was used as a school as well until the genocide period.
The reverent Hovhanes Eskijian (1908-1913) had a tree-floored parsonage house built opposite the church, whereas in 1911, he embarked the course of constructing a new church which remained roofless due to the beginning of the WWI. The construction was completed in 1956 and the church was named Emanuel.

Schools and organizations
The Armenian evangelical martyr school was established in 1855 which evolved later to become a primary school. In addition to the native teachers, others from Ayentab, Behes and Kilis also taught in the village. The school again was converted into nursery after 1960 since the road linking Iki-zoloukh to Kessab was paved and the transportation became easier for the students to attend the primary school in Kessab.
In 1940, the women in the village established the Woman’s educational union which obtained a library and a reading room.
In 1966, the previous parsonage house was converted into a library-club.
During 1976 and 1978, the Verelk organization was very active and succeeded to draw together about 25-30 young people. Verelk was an educational organization aiming to educate the Armenian youth with the Armenian literature, history and culture.