Photographic expeditions to Kljetsk District in central-western Belarus 2016: Arda, Kljetsk, Hrytsevichy, Nahornaje (Plaskavichy), Kuntsaushchyna, Jodchytsy.
The toponym Arda, derived from the Tatar/Turkic word for army, suggests that the village was founded by Tatars/Turkic settlers invited in by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to serve as soldiers, or by their descendants. See also the photos for the day for the village of Ardashy (March 9-12, 2016). Relations between the Grand Duchy and the Tatars were not always amicable. Indeed, a memorial on the outskirts of the nearby district center of Kljetsk commemorates a Grand Duchy victory over a Tatar force in 1506:
Фотавандроўкы па Клеччыне 2016 г.: Арда, Клецк, Грыцэвічы, Нагорнае (Пласкавічы), Кунцаўшчына, Ёдчыцы.
Тапонім Арда паходзіць ад татарскага/цюрскага слова “орду“ – войска. Гл. таксама фотаздымкі дня пра вёску Ардашы ў Смаргоньскім раёне (9-12 сакавіка 2016 г.)
Tatar cemetery from the village’s main street. Від на татарскі мізар з галоўнай вуліцы вёскі.
Tatar graves. Татарскія магілы.
Old farmyard. Стары двор.
Unusual symbol over porch entrance. Незвычайны ганачны шчыт.
