History Of Armenia

Historical facts, myths and legends about the History of the Armenians and the region of current and historic Armenia.

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The Armenian carpet creates the sacred space of the Enthroned Madonna. Domenico Ghirlandaio, Enthroned Madonna, Middle of 15th century. Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence. Primary sources note the presence of a strong and vibrant Armenian community in Italy during the Middle Ages. More than thirty Armenian monasteries are documented as having been established throughout Italy from the 13th to the 15th centuries when the ties with the Kingdom of Armenia and its vital Mediterranean ports were at their peak. The number of Armenian saints, such as Saint Miniato of Florence and Saint Blaise of Sebastia, who are included in Italian hagiography and lists of saints, is another evidence of the extensive interaction between Armenia and Italy. These close cultural ties are also reflected in the genetic composition of the modern Italians. A new paper in the Science magazine by Hellenthal et al. (2014) reveals worldwide human admixture history over the past 4000 years that has been compiled in a genetic Atlas of human admixture history. Remarkably, the result reveals extremely significant Armenian genetic traces among the Italian people, standing at around 25% (or to be specific, a sum total of 24.9%), that is to say, remarkably, one out of four modern Italians has Armenian genetic admixture. Source: Nazaryan, G. (2016, March 21). ARMENO-ITALIAN CLOSE TIES REFLECTED IN HISTORY, CULTURE AND GENES [Facebook post]. Retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/zno924d

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Praying that the situation in Artsakh will stabilise soon. Photograph: Sun rises above Gandzasar village, courtesy of Ruben Malayan.

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Figurine of a warrior. 9th century BC. Tavush. Village of Paravacar. Bronze. History Museum of Armenia.

As a part of ‘Armenia: Legend of Being’ exhibition in Russia.

Courtesy of State Historical Museum

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Excellent list of foundations providing scholarships. Have a look.

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A 13th century architectural marvel, Saghmosavank Monastery.

Photo credit: Suren Manvelyan

The monastery of Saghmosavank is located in the village of Saghmosavan, located in the Ashtarak region of the Republic of Armenia. It is some 40 minutes northwest of Yerevan and lies atop precipitous gorge carved by the Kazakh River. It’s silhouette dominates the adjacent villages and rise sharp against the background of the mountains crowned by Mount Aragats.

Prince Vache Vachutyan

The monastery of Saghmosavank (Monastery of Psalms) was built in the 12th – 13th centuries by the order of Prince Vache Vachutyan. Thus the Surb Sion Church also known as the Church of Zion in Saghmosavank was erected in 1213 AD.

Type of building

The monastery can be classified as a cross-winged domed structure with two-floor annexes in all the corners of the building. It also holds a book repository and the St. Astvatsatsin church that were built in 1255 by the order of Prince Kurd Vachutyan.

Sources:

Architectural Ensembles of Armenia" O. Khalpakhchian, published in Moscow by Iskusstvo Publishers in 1980.

Land and Culture Organization. Saghmosavan.

Parsegian, V.L.. Armenian Architecture. Zug, Switzerland; IDC, 1980.

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A Journey Through Armenian Music and History

For the commemoration of the centennial year of the Armenian Genocide, last year Armenia’s musical prodigy Tigran Hamasyan, along with the Yerevan State Choir embarked on a special journey through Armenian music and history. They uncovered ancient manuscripts at Matenadaran in Yerevan, and were allowed to photograph these ancient songs and hymns that haven’t been heard for a very long time.

Deciphering The Old Language - Luys I Luso

After meticulous deciphering the old language, they re-sang and revived the old sounds of our ancestors, and the result is the new ‘Luys I Luso’ album. Then together, along with Tigrans famous grand piano, they toured through old Churches and Monasteries in not only Armenia, but Western-Armenia in cities like Ani, and Akhtamar Island off the shores of Lake Van. Even after 100 years of turmoil, these territories are now deemed unsafe once again due to Turkish/Kurdish conflict, and threats and attacks by ISIS. Fortunately, two talented film-makers documented the whole experience. Along with modern innovative technology, animation, and the ‘Luys I Luso’ music recordings from the tour of these sacred ancestral sites, it has all been turned into an immersive multi-media installation. They were able to capture the essence and the vision from beginning to end, to share with the world.

The end-result is a wonderful spiritual re-creation of old Armenian Music. For more on this project visit www.luysiluso.com

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The Armenian Duduk Flute

​The duduk, the Armenian oboe, is a double-reed wind instrument characterized by a warm, soft, slightly nasal timbre. It belongs to the category of aerophones, which also includes the balaban played in Azerbaijan and Iran, the duduki common in Georgia and the ney in Turkey.

The origins

​The soft wood of the apricot tree is the ideal material for the body of the instrument. The reed, called ghamish or yegheg, is a local plant growing alongside the Arax River. The roots of Armenian duduk music go back to the times of the Armenian king Tigran the Great (95-55 BC). It accompanies popular Armenian traditional songs and dances of the various regions and is played at events, such as weddings and funerals. Although there are also famous duduk soloists, among them Gevorg Dabaghyan and Vache Sharafyan, the duduk is usually played by two musicians. One player creates the musical environment for the lead melody by playing a continual drone held by circular breathing, while the other player develops complex melodies and improvisations.

​Types of duduk

There are four major types of duduk, varying in length from 28 to 40 cm. This variety allows the sound of the duduk to express various moods depending on the content of the piece and the playing context. The 40-cm long duduk, for example, is regarded as most appropriate for love songs, whereas the smaller one usually accompanies dances. Today, duduk craftsmen continue to create and experiment with different forms of duduks. Many Armenians consider the duduk as the instrument that most eloquently expresses warmth, joy and their history. Over the last few decades, the popularity of Armenian duduk music has faded, in particular in the rural areas where it originated. The duduk instrument is played less and less in popular festivities, but more often as a staged performance by professionals, risking to threaten the music’s viability and traditional character.

​​In 2008, UNESCO inscribed the duduk on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Source:

Duduk and its music, Armenia. UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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ԼԵՒՈՆ ՄԵԾԱԳՈՐԾ - Levon the Magnificent by Ruben Arutchyan.

During the reign of King Levon the Magnificent (1187-1219) the Armenian t'agaworakan (literally meaning "king's"), commonly referred to as "tagwor," was widely circulated and became a popular choice of international currency, during this time, surpassing the popularity of the Venetian ducat. This period marked the golden age in the history of Armenian coinage circulation, which went beyond its borders and exceeded the circulation extent of the imperial era of Tigranes the Great. This can be explained by the prudent socioeconomic and foreign policy of Levon the Magnificent.

Source: Nazaryan, G. (2016, February 1). ԼԵՒՈՆ ՄԵԾԱԳՈՐԾ - Levon the Magnificent [Facebook post]. Retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/hsrajwg

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Canyon of the Dzoraget River, Lori Province.

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Hallucination, 1961 by Alexander “Skunder” Boghossian, Ethiopia. Oil on canvas. Since it’s Black History Month, here's the story of Alexander “Skunder” Boghossian. Boghossian was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on July 22, 1937 from an Ethiopian mother, Weizero Tsedale Wolde Tekle and an Armenian father, Kosrof Gorgorios Boghossian. Kosrof was a colonel in the Kebur Zabagna, the Imperial Bodyguards of Ethiopia. Kosrof’s father, an Armenian trader, became friends with the Emperor Menelik II and also worked as an ambassador in Europe on behalf of the Emperor. In 1955 Alexander was granted a scholarship, allowing him to study in Europe. Spending two years in London he moved to Paris to study and teach at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. From 1966 until 1969 Alexander taught at Addis Ababa's School of Fine Arts. Eventually emigrating to the United States as an art professor at Howard University, Washington DC. Boghossian was the first contemporary African artist to have his work purchased by the Musee d’Art Moderne in Paris in 1963. In 1966, the Museum of Modern Art in New York acquired his painting Juju's Wedding, 1964. In 1977, he became the first African to design a First Day Cover for a United Nations stamp. His pen and ink drawing on the theme of "Combat Racism" for the cover and the accompanying stamp were issued on September 19, 1977. Boghossian fathered two children, Aida Mariam and Edward Addisu. Passing away on May 4, 2003, at Howard University Hospital in Washington, DC. He was 65. Sources: Legesse, Selamawit (2005). "Skunderism (The Third Annual Blen Art Show)". Blen. Debela, Achamyeleh (April 2004). "A Jewel of a Painter of the 21st Century (1937-2003)". Prepared for Arts Council of the African Studies Association Conference: 13th Triennial Symposium on African Art, 04/04. Blen. Alexander "Skunder" Boghossian. Ethiopian Passages: Dialogues in the Diaspora. National Museum of African Art. Cotter, Holland (2003-05-18). "Skunder Boghossian, 65, Artist Who Bridged Africa and West". The New York Times. Giorgis, Elizabeth W. "Skunder Boghossian: Artist of the Universal and the Specific". Debre Hayq Ethiopian Art Gallery.

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Alenoush Terian, also called the Mother of Modern Iranian Astronomy. Celebration of her 90th birthday in Tehran, Iran. Alenoush Terian, was born in an Armenian family on November 9, 1920 in Tehran, Iran. She graduated in physics from the University of Tehran in 1947. Starting her career in physics laboratories of the same university upon graduation and was elected as the chief of laboratory operations in the same year. She continued her studies at the Sorbonne University in Paris, graduating with a degree in atmospheric physics in 1956. She returned to Iran to work as an assistant professor in thermodynamics at the University of Tehran. Alenoush Terian got a scholarship to study solar physics for four months in Germany, after which she became Iran’s first female physics professor in 1964. In 1966, she became a member of the geophysics committee of Tehran University and was elected as the chief of the solar physics studies three years later in 1969. She was one of the founders of the solar observatory of the Institute of Geophysics at the University of Tehran, where she also worked until her retirement in 1979. Alenoush Terian is regarded as the first Iranian woman, teacher of physics, and the founder of the first solar telescopic observatory in Iran. The Iranian-Armenian scientist was honored during a ceremony in Tehran on Nov. 9. Members of the Iranian Parliament and many Iranian-Armenians paid tribute to Alenoush Terian at her 90th birthday. “She always said she had a daughter named sun and a son named moon,” said lawmaker Hassan Ghafourifard, Terian’s former student at Tehran University. On March 4, 2011, Iran’s first female astronomer Alenoush Terian passed away at the age of 91. Source: Iran Chamber Society, Iranian Personalities, Alenoush Terian.

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The Visitor statue by David Breuer-Weil, Cascade Yerevan at the Cafesjian Museum of Art. David Breuer-Weil is a British artist, born in London in 1965, known for his large-scale paintings and bronze sculptures. The Visitor, exhibited at the Cafesjian Center for the Arts, was especially commissioned by Gerard L. Cafesjian for installation at the Cascade Complex. It is the first monumental sculpture produced by the artist that compliments a new series of bronzes created by Breuer-Weil. The Visitor may be seen as an island of humanity, allowing the viewer’s imagination to suggest the presence of the rest of the figure. The artist’s fingerprints are enlarged to massive proportions on the surface, enhancing the emotive appeal of the work. Source: Cafesjian Museum of Art

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The Legend of the Rose Festival Vardavar One day the gods of darkness found out from the Supreme Vishap* that the power of the Armenian people lies in Vahagn* and the source of his power is the love of goddess Astghik*. They immediately set off to steal the beautiful Astghik. For a long time, they followed the goddess of love everywhere and then one day they finally attacked her and dragged her into the underworld. At that moment the faces of people grew gloomy, their eyes darkened, and they were seized by horror and frenzy. Their hearts were filled with hatred for each other, for songs, for laughter, and for Ararat and its sun. Wives left their husbands; brother raised his sword against brother. Even Vahagn could not find the stolen goddess of love – the moans, cries, and tears of the unfortunate people drowned Astghik’s calls for help. “How can I hear the voice of love in this noise of hatred and grief?” asked Vahagn of his mother Anahit. “Find a child who has not experienced sin and has not lost the thirst for life,” answered Anahit. “He will hear the voice of Astghik.” After a while, Vahagn found a poor family with a baby who happily smiled at him and then ran down the trail to the rock behind which Astghik had been kept captive. Vahagn split the rock and the goddess of love was freed from her prison. When she saw Ararat, she did not recognize it: there were spines, thorns, and snakes everywhere. Astghik wept. And everywhere her tears fell, beautiful roses grew and their fragrance reached far and wide. Astghik handed out flowers to the people and then smiles of love bloomed all around Ararat. Thus began the celebration of Vardavar, the festival of roses. Flowers and trees returned to life and birds came back to Armenia; girls wanted to marry again, and mothers rejoiced at their children. Since that time, Vardavar has been celebrated with songs, dances and games. And on that day lovers give each other roses. Source: 100 Legends of Ararat

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An Armenian cross-stone also known as khachkar in the forrest near Gandzasar Monastery (13th c.), Artsakh. The monument appears to be depicting two knights on the left and on the right at the bottom of object. The purpose of this khachkar could have been intended to commemorate a military victory, since its showing two knights dressed in armour. The purpose of most khachkars is to provide salvation of the soul of a person who is alive or has passed away. However other times these monuments could have been erected to commemorate the build of a church, to serve as a protection from natural forces or as mentioned to commemorate military victories. Armenian cross stones, their craftsmanship and symbolism are inscribed in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

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Ancient Armenian spirit – Grogh or also known as Tir. Grogh translates from Armenian as “writer” or “scribe” (sometimes identified with Armenian deity of literature Tir) was a spirit in ancient Armenian mythology. Grogh was the most punctual writer. As soon as a human was born, Grogh would write the newborn into the book of life, and on the forehead he imprinted the newborn’s faith – chakatagir, predetermining the given lifespan. He keenly observed everyone and entered all the sins and good deeds into his special folio, to read them during the final judgment. If the agony of dying lasted a long time and the soul could not part with the body easily, it was common to take the pillow from beneath the head of the dying person and open wide all the windows and doors, so Grogh could enter freely into the home and take the soul into his bosom and leave. Just as the Russians curse ‘k chorty’ meaning ‘to the devil’ and English ‘to hell with you’, Armenians curse by sending to Grogh: “Grogh kez tani!” (meaning “scribe take you!”) or “Groghu tsots” (“in embrace of the scribe”). Many centuries past and the word “Grogh” became to simply mean ‘writer’ in Armenian. Sources: - Armen Meryzhanyan - http://noev-kovcheg.ru/mag/2011-13/2688.html - PeopleOfAr. (2013, October 10). Ancient Armenian spirit – Grogh. Retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/q37pdvd #Armenia #ancient #deity #history #pagan #God #Tir #Grogh #mythology

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Decorative motifs of traditional Armenian architecture. These elements were used by the author in the design of the Armenian banknotes of 1919.

Source: Nazaryan, G. (2014, July 5). Banknote 1919 [Facebook post]. Retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/qbm2glf

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Abandoned Cosmic Ray Research Facility, Aragats Mountains, Armenia. Credit: Suren Manvelyan. This facility is almost a mystery, fairly little is to be found about it besides that it is located in Aragats Mountain, close to Kari Lake. There is supposed to be an abandoned Soviet spy facility next to it.