Historically, Gevaş was for some time the main town of the Armenian kingdom of Vaspurakan and later between the 14th and 15th centuries the centre of a small Kurdish emirate. In their time the settlement had moved nearer to the lake.
The historical significance of Gevaş is tied to its role as the primary town for the Armenian kingdom of Vaspurakan, followed by its function as the center of a small Kurdish emirate.  The settlement's position changed over time, moving closer to the lake during these periods.