Armenian Mythology and Folk Magic

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Armenian Monster & Spirits: Čivał / Chival / Chual (The Torturer)

evil spirit

belongs to the Devs

haunts the dreams of people at night to fill them with fear and dread

sources:

Book: Armenian Mythology by Mardiros Ananikian

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_mythology

And: https://de-academic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/98886

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Armenian Monsters & Spirits: Uruakan

spirits of the dead

belong to the "good" Devs

they spread fear and terror nevertheless when they climb out of their tombs in night with their burial cloth

sources:

Book: Armenian Mythology by Mardiros Ananikian

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_mythology

And: https://de-academic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/98886

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Armenian Monsters & Spirits: Mardagayl

Armenian werewolves

some tales speak of women

-> in consequence of deadly sins

-> condemned to spend 7 years in wolf form

-> condemned woman is visited by a wolf skin-toting spirit

-> sprit orders her to wear the skin

-> causes her to acquire frightful cravings for human flesh

-> she-wolf devours her own children, then her relatives' and then strangers' children

-> only wanders at night

-> doors and locks spring open at her approach

-> in the morning, reverts to human form, removes her wolf skin

generally said: transformation is involuntary

alternate versions: voluntary metamorphosis (women can transform at will)

they run like the wind (journey of many days in just one hour)

no one can detect their absence from home

cannot be killed by knives/weapons

only way to kill them is to burn the pelt

Mardagayl hides the skin during the day -> difficult to find

after 7 years the wolf skin ascends to Heaven on its own accord

person returns to being a normal human

sometimes only one trace remains: a tail

Other tales: creation of the Milky Way

young newly married woman transformed into a werewolf

once when she washed a guest's feet, she observed that the feet were white and tender

she like this a lot

at night she put on her pelt and went to devour the guest

-> brave guest stabbed her in the breast with his dagger

-> milk squirted from her breast into the sky

-> traces of this milk are visible till now: Milky Way

"The book of Were-Wolves" - 1865, Sabine Baring-Gould

"That the same belief in lycanthropy exists in Armenia is evident from the following story told by Haxthausen, in his Trans-Caucasia (Leipzig, i. 322): –“A man once saw a wolf, which had carried off a child, dash past him. He pursued it hastily, but was unable to overtake it. At last he came upon the hands and feet of a child, and a little further on he found a cave, in which lay a wolf-skin. This he cast into a fire, and immediately a woman appeared, who howled and tried to rescue the skin from the flames. The man, however, resisted, and, as soon as the hide was consumed, the woman had vanished in the smoke.”

The Wolf & Wolf-binding Spells

wolf occupies prominent position in Armenian folklore

in spells it figures higher than all the various night evils embodied by snakes, scorpions, frogs etc.

wolf often appears as a dev (evil spirit)

is equated with evil spirits which take human form

one tale: "the wolf eats evil beings, otherwise those evil ones would destroy the world. but each year every evil spirit devours a wolf and thereby reduces the number of wolves in the world. otherwise they could not save themselves from all the wolves."

sometimes wolf-demon has bipedal form

spells against wolves will make them be bound by their two big toes and eight other toes

wolf's toes point backwards and its heels are forward

lightning, which can destroy all devs, can also destroy wolves

-> symbols of lightning (flint (kaylxaz)) and steel, especially when they produce sparks) are defense against wolves

- prayer charms against wolves are called wolf-binding (kayalakap) prayers

sources:

Book: Armenian Mythology by Mardiros Ananikian

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_mythology

And: https://de-academic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/98886

https://www.peopleofar.com/2013/01/31/armenian-werewolves-mardagayl/

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Armenian Monsters & Spirits: Aralēz (արալէզ)

winged dog-like creatures

they descend upon dead heroes to lick their wounds in order to resurrect them

an Aralez revived Ara the Handsome

"Ara" might come from the name Ara and "lez" from the word "lizel" -> to lick

people put the fallen on the roof, so the Aralez can come and revive them

invisible spirits

appear during battles to the wounded

belong to the Devs

sources:

Book: Armenian Mythology by Mardiros Ananikian

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_mythology

And: https://de-academic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/98886

Aralez (mythology) - Wikipedia

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Armenian Monsters & Spirits: Vishap (Վիշապ)

means "dragon" or "big snake"

water dragons with poisonous saliva

mainly evil spirit

Vishap hanel (dragon ascent) means thrunderstorm in Armenian

most of the time in form of a snake-like dragon but it can also take on the shape of a hinny, a camel, a big fish or a big snake

steals the harvest from the barn floor

spears, dipped in the blood of a Vishap are said to be indestructible and lethal

lord of the waters

Vishap supposedly carry a quality that wards demons off and protect the Tree of Life with this quality

were worshiped near any type of water body by placing a rock statue "vishapakar" (Vishap stones -> most in form of catfishes)

they were worshipped as water, rain and rich-giving souls

their tail is capable of creating canals and paths when it hits the Earth

guards treasure

Vahagn, the dragon slayer, fights and wins the battle against Vishap

sources:

Book: Armenian Mythology by Mardiros Ananikian

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_mythology

And:

https://de-academic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/98886

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishapakar

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Armenian Monsters & Spirits: K’aǰk’ (Քաջքեր)

Քաջքեր means "brave one" in a sarcastic way (see: Nazar the Brave)

they live in mountains, caves and canyons

they sometimes got good and sometimes bad traits

it was believed that the K’aǰk’ sometimes enter people's bodies in order to torture them

there are both male and female spirits

they chained up Artavazt (King of armenia 159 AD - 115 AD) in a cave after he had been cursed by his dead father (King Artašes)

these spirits belong to the Devs

sources:

Book: Armenian Mythology by Mardiros Ananikian

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_mythology

And: https://de-academic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/98886

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Armenian Monsters & Spirits: Al / Alk (Ալ / Ալք)

holding a pair of scissors in hands

sit on sandy places

serpent-like hair

live in bodies of water or at moist places

also live in house corners or stables

originally a demon of illness

kills or steals babies, hinder the milk flow of their mothers

serve a king who lives in hell where he is shackled and screams all the time

steals lung, liver and heart of women in childbirth, pregnant women and women who have just given birth

destroy embryos in the womb, causing miscarriage

can steal babies forty days after childbirth -> replacing them with "imps"

male and female

clay noses

fiery eyes

sharp fangs

disheveled hair

copper claws

iron teeth

tusks of a wild boar

sagging breasts

resemble a crone

After stealing the organs of a woman:

-> Als tries to escape

-> cross the first source of water, after which the woman cannot be saved

Protectiv "magic" against Als, that also prevents them from reaching water:

-> charms, prayers, iron objecs, onions, garlic

- can turn invisible

- usually wears a pointed hat covered in bells

sources:

Book: Armenian Mythology by Mardiros Ananikian

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_mythology

And: https://de-academic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/98886

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Armenian Monsters & Spirits: Torch (Torx)

resembles both Telchins and Cyclops

ugly face

gigantic and coarse frame

flat nose

deep-sunk and cruel eyes

his home was sought in the west of Armenia

probably near the Black Sea

great physical power and daring

can crush a solid piece of hard granite with his bare hands; smooth it down into a slab; engrave pictures of eagles and others objects with his finger-nails upon it

great artisan / artist

sources:

Book: Armenian Mythology by Mardiros Ananikian

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_mythology

And: https://de-academic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/98886

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Armenian Monsters & Spirits: Shahapet (Շահապետ)

friendly and guarding ghosts

usually in shape of a serpent; serpent-ghost

live in houses, orchards, fields and forest and especially graveyards

name meaning: lord of the field or lord of the land

appears both as man and as serpent

always good character, except when angered

even vinestocks and olive-trees had Shahapets

there are district serpents, guarding a district (hurting strangers and leaving inhabitants in peace)

Shvaz

-> Shahabeds that are more common outside

-> watched over the agricultural products and labours

-> appears to men once a year in the spring

Shvod

-> Shahabeds that guard houses

-> treated well, they will thank the residents of the house with gold

-> a conflict will drive them away

-> even today people scare naughty children with their name

-> instead of offering them presents for a good harvest, the Armenians take sticks and hit the walls of their houses to drive the Shvods out, so they will help with the field work

-> sometimes they appear in the middle of the night as strangers seeking hospitality and it pays to be kind and considerate to them

-> if they depart in anger, they will leave nothing but sorrow and misfortune behind

Other names

-> Khshatharapti

-> Shavod

-> Shoitharapaiti

-> Shvaz

-> Shvod

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Armenian Monsters & Spirits: Javerzaharses (Nymphs)

nature spirits

probably female Kaches

invisible creatures

have everlasting knowledge

can neither learn anything new nor forget what they know

rational minds which were incapable of development

wandering in prairies, among pines and between stones

can be found at riverbeds

loved weddings, singing, tambourines and rejoicings

mortal

people believed that these spirits were especially interested in the welfare, toilette, marriage and childbirth of maidens

beautiful immortal beings

possesses magical powers

often depicted as young maidens

playful and mischievous

famous nymphs:

-> Anahit and Astghik

-> associated with fertility and love

source: wikipedia and the book: Armenian Mythology by Mardiros Ananikian

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Armenian Monsters & Spirits: Hambaru

mysterious ghosts

probably female residents of lost places and ruins

Armenian chimera

appear to men

probably feminine beings with a body

living on land, particularly in desert places or ruins

Hambaruna might mean house-spirit (thinks Von Stackelberg)

Hambaru might also mean "beautiful" or "a hyena"

sources:

Book: Armenian Mythology by Mardiros Ananikian

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_mythology

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenische_Mythologie

And: https://de-academic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/98886

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Armenian Monsters & Spirits: Nhang (նհանգ)

crocodile in Farsi

friends with Vishaps

shapeshifting powers

drinks blood

the word "Nhang" is still sometimes used in Armenian literature to describe a sea monster

river-dwelling serpent-monster

could change into a seal

could transform into a woman

sea monsters observed in rivers Aratsani (Murat River, Turkey) and in the Euphrates

these spirits use their victims for their lust and drink their blood afterward

active during both night and day in the water

hatred towards kindred

unless victim dies from blood loss, Nhang can't change their form

transforming into a person is crucial for Nhang

it allows them to forage on land, blend in, bring more victims to the water

-> lure man, drag in and drown him to drink his blood

I'm not so sure about the following description of the Nhang, as it is not depicted as a serpent in this post. I gotta check this again, but for now I will leave it here

they were restless souls of the deceased who died in tragic circumstances / without proper burials rites

often associated with death, chaos and suffering

symbol of misfortune and of the unknown

can express itself as a sinister shadow lurking in the corner of one's vision

can be heard as an eerie whisper in the dead of the night

often marked by an overwhelming sense of dread

manipulates reality

can spread fear by sowing doubts in the minds of it's victims

people are emotionally scared and mentally exhausted by the nightmarish visions of the Nhang

additional source:

source: https://armeniatraveltips.com/scary-armenian-legends/

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Armenian Mythology Notes

- in very early times, Armenians worshiped sun, moon, fire, water, earth winds

- also worshiped mountains

-> Mt. Ararat, Nemrud, Suphan (Sipan), Mt. Aragats pouring forth fire and flame; stars, planets, the constellations of the Zodiac, bare, rugged rocks, great rivers, doves, hawks, eagles, bulls, trees (Sos (silver poplar), imaginary gods and good and evil spirits

- the rock beside which Shamran was killed was worshiped by the Armenians as sacred

- the world rests on the horns of a bull

-> this is the cause of earthquakes

- Armenians worshiped in the open air w/ out any temples

-> sun was worshiped on mountain peaks

-> moon was generally worshiped on Mt. Sebuh

- Armenian churches are still orientated towards the east

-> worship is carried on facing in that direction

- moon is known as "Mahik"

-> moon was regarded as the mother of nature and the nurse of trees and plants

- Armenians believed in good & evil spirits and in fairies

- employed magic and sorcery to protect themselves from evil

Aralez (dog-headed gods)

-> licked whole wounds of heroes on the field of battle and in the powerful flames and from these flames there leapt a child

-> his hair was of fire, and he had a beard of flame

-> his tiny eyes were like suns

In Hindu Veda we find the following account:

"Agni, you who were born of the sky, the earth and the waves. Light the fires, the earth, the sky, the sea that bore you. Agni forgives the fire that pours forth flame. Gold-bearded Agni eats the dry food that is offered to him."

VANATUR

- god of time, the season and the new year

- superior to any of the other gods (-> Zeus)

ASKHIG

- goddess of beauty

MIHR

- was worshiped throughout the whole of Armenia

- his festival was celebrated once every six months

-> gave each other gifts of flowers and fruit

-> light fires and dance around them and leap over them

-> on 14. 02. a great fire would be lit in honor of the fire-god Mihr

-> newly-married brides and grooms would hold hands and dance around it

in Avasta: Mihr symbolizes the male element fire and Anahit the female element water

TIR, TIUR, DIR, DUR

- god of intelligence and oratory

SIN

- moon-god of the Sumerians

-> still found in "lusin"