Mahmudjug is a village in the Iravan uezd of the former Iravan governorate, later in the former Artik district, and currently in the Shirak province. It lies at a distance of 7 km from the Artik settlement, at a height of 1,790 m above sea level. It is marked as “Mahmudkend” in “The Iravan Province Review Book”.

Following the settlement of Armenians in the territory of the Iravan Khanate according to the Treaty of Adrianople (1829), the Azerbaijanis living in the village moved to Türkiye. The Armenians relocated from Alashkert, Erzurum and Mush provinces of Türkiye were settled in the village.

The toponym was coined by adding the diminutive suffix “-jug” to the personal name “Mahmud” and means “Little Mahmud’s village”. By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR dated 2 March 1940, the village was renamed “Pemzashen”.

According to the law “On the administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Armenia” dated 7 November 1995, it was integrated into the administrative territory of the Shirak province.

Geographical coordinates: latitude: 40°35’ N., longitude: 43°56’ E.