Tokhanshali is a village in the Iravan uezd of the former Iravan governorate, later in the former Gamarli (Artashat) district, and currently in the Ararat province. The provincial centre lies 3 km to the northwest of the town of Gamarli, at a height of 840 m above sea level. It was noted as “Toghanshahlı” in “The Iravan Province Review Book”, as “Tokhanshahlı” in the works of Armenian authors.

The village was originally inhabited by Azerbaijanis, and after the settlement of Armenians in the region, the population gradually left the village. Armenians were moved from the Khoy and Salmas provinces of Iran and settled in the village.

The toponym was coined on the basis of the word “Togan” used to mean “a big canal”, “a ditch, canal” in Turkic and the ethnonym “Shahili” (Shahli). It is an ethnotoponym.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR dated 20 August 1945, it was renamed “Masis”. According to the law “On the administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Armenia” dated 7 November 1995, it was integrated into the administrative area of the Ararat province.

Geographic coordinates: latitude 40°04’ N., longitude 44°26’ E.