"Maternal Gratitude To Artsah's Courageous Sons" Commemorative Medal.

[CtahhR]

Here is the "Maternal Gratitude To Artsah's Courageous Sons" Commemorative Medal («Մայրական Երախտագիտություն Արցախի Գաջորդիներին» Հուշամեդալ). Given the Russian name Медаль «Материнская Благодарность И Признание Храбрым Бойцам Арцаха» (Medal "Material Gratitude And Recognition Of The Brave Fighters Of Artsah").

This was the very first award of the NKR, founded on 25th August 1992. Although it is not a state award but an award of the Nagorno-Karabakh Fund "Motherhood Of Artsah" it is held in extremely high regard by the population of the NKR. Although this is an organisational award the Medal is often handed to recipients not by members of the fund but by Ministers or even the President.

To date c5,000 have been awarded "for Artsah Liberation War participation or to social and political leaders and philanthropists for services in defending the nation".

The Medal is made from melted down bullets fired at the NKR by Azeri forces.

[CtahhR]

Here is a picture of an active NKR officer with the Medal in the correct position (as are all his awards). This Medal can often be seen worn by Armenian and NKR recipients on the left side such as this second picture - all of his Medals are out of order - but I wouldn't want to be the one to tell him so.

[CtahhR]

Here is a completely different Type.

[CtahhR]

Here is another example. There is a great deal of Variation in these due to production methods.