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“There is no other land in the world so full of wonders as the land of Armenians…
But whatever may have been their destiny, and it has been bitter, whatever it may be in future, their country must ever be one of the most interesting in the world”
George Gordon Byron
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People and Culture
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Ancient Land
- Christianity and Christian Culture
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Yerevan Capital City
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National Traditions
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Ancient Land
The Armenian plateau, including territory of the Republic of Armenia has been inhabited for over 600 thousand years, since man first arrived in the region. Paleolithic tools dating back more than 100 thousand years have been found in the country, which has a number of important Stone Age sites. During the Paleolithic era, hunting was widely practiced, and the farming first developed. By the end of the Paleolithic and throughout the Mesolithic periods farming and animal husbandry continued, and replaced the previous hunter-gatherer existence. The Armenian Plateau is therefore regarded by some scientists as one of the original centers for early farming and livestock breeding in the world. Domestication of a Range of plants and animals followed, as well as the development of metal use and early artificial irrigation. It is believed that the Indo-European language family originated from the area around Armenia (the Armenian plateau, eastern Asia Minor and north-west Iran). The Armenian language is unique among Indo-European languages, and consists of two contemporary literary versions (Eastern and Western) which have developed from the original old Armenian, as well as over 40 dialects, and their sub-dialects. In the 5th- 4th millennia BC Indo-European tribes migrated across the territories of Europe, Middle Asia and India. The Armenian people appear to have remained in the vicinity of the Armenian plateau since that time. During the Bronze Age, mining of copper and tin occurred in the region, and the culture developed (including names and calendars). During 900-600 BC, the Armenian tribes unified, followed by rule by a series of royal dynasties. Armenia adopted Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD, while the Armenian alphabet was created in 405 AD. Over later centuries the Armenian state was weakened, and the country was torn apart by foreign conquerors. Since the 11th century the population of the Armenian Plateau has faced considerable changes. The population of Armenia has decreased from 7 million in the10th century, to 3 million at the beginning of the 20th century. Emigration and loss of lands has also been accompanied by immigration by other ethnic groups (particularly in the 12th and 13th centuries, during the Mongol and Ottoman conquests). The original native land of Armenians (the Armenian Plateau) became a multiethnic region, while the Armenian people became more widely distributed across the world. However, despite this the Armenians have preserved their spiritual and cultural independence and remained faithful to their traditions. Armenian culture has also affected that of neighboring countries, and has influenced cultures elsewhere in the world. Armenian architecture, urban construction and constructive art, medieval miniature painting, carpets poetry, music, painting, farming and live-stock farming have an important place in world culture. Today, over 97% of the population of the Republic of Armenia consists of native Armenians. Of 8 million native Armenians around the world, approximately 3.8 million live in Armenia (the rest living in around 60 different countries, notably in the USA, France, Georgia, and Russia). The Armenian Plateau has been called the "epicenter of the Iron Age", since it appears to be the location of the first appearance of Iron Age metallurgy in the late 2nd millennium BC. It is also traditionally believed to be one of the possible locations of the Garden of Eden. The highest point of the Armenian Plateau is the Mount Ararat (5165m.) geographically located in Turkey, but the snow-capped heights of the majestic peaks Mount Ararat, where the Biblical Noah's Ark first landed escaping the Great Flood is a national symbol of Armenia.
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Petroglyphs. The Armenian Highland is rich of this kind of stone pictures. Though at first look they are similar each to other, the difference between them is appreciable. They are expanded from Aragats Mountain and to the whole territory of Armenian Taurus and borders of Assyria-Palestine and Iraq. The paramount of the big groups of monuments are situated around the Lake Sevan and Gegham, Syunik, Vayots Dzor and Vardenis mountain regions. In the territory of Gegham mountain you can meet very interesting scenes. These places were sacred for ancient hunters and cattle breeders. From Aragats to Syunik Mountains (180-200 km by the direct line) you can see the scenes of hunt, tame of wild animals, cattle breeding, ritual scenes. They are very valuable for studying the social and spiritual culture of ancient peoples living in the territory of the present Armenia. Many of these monuments are not fixed and deciphered yet. Discovered on the territory of Armenia, they have been know as "Itsagir", i.e. goat-letters, and though they have attracted the attention of certain investigators at the beginning of the 20-th century they have not been studied at that time. One of Armenia's known and interesting attractions is the top of Ughtasar Mountain. Aside from the natural beauty of the mountaintop valley, the views and the small lake, there is an abundance of ancient petroglyphs aged between 4 to 7 thousand years old. The recently discovered rock-art monuments occupy the territory of several dozens kilometers along the mountains near Tsghuk about 3300 meters above sea level, on the slopes of Ughtasar. Rock carvings are a unique source for the study of ancient culture. Another, and not less interesting, the heritages of the ancient culture of Armenia are Vishaps.
Vishaps is the high rock sculptures, which are encountered in Armenia and in its historical territories. Vishaps were hewn into shape from the stone, with height to five meters and they, as a rule, had a form of fishes. They were erected not later than the beginning of I millennium B.C. Almost all findings of Vishaps in Armenia are connected with the mountain sources of water. Vishaps are encountered on the Gegham ridge, on the Sevan Lake, on the southern slope of the Aragats mount and others. Is undoubted the connection of Vishaps with the sources of waters, which fed the channels, build possible by people. On the basis these given, and also in combination with the repetitive images of water on Vishaps, scientists connect Vishaps with the ancient cults of fertility and water. Scientists assume that the initial value of Vishaps in the course of time and under the effect of Christianity was transformed, and Vishaps from the deity of fertility became demon, dragon or giant. In contemporary the Armenian language the word “vishap” indicates “dragon”.There is one of famous creation of ancient civilization in Armenia is known as Karahundje or Armenian Stonehenge.
Karahundje is also known as Zorats Karer is a megalithic structure near the city of Sisian in the Syunik province of Armenia (which is older than England’s Stonehenge). Karahundje in Armenian indicates “speaking stones”. According to scientist’s findings, a temple consisting of 40 stones built in honor of the Armenians’ main God, Ari, meaning the Sun, is situated in the central part of Karahunge. Besides the temple, it had a large and developed observatory, and also a university that makes up the temple’s wings. The structure surrounds a Bronze Age cemetery set on a natural elevation. The site was in use from the Middle Bronze Age (2nd to 1st millennia BC), and contains some extraordinary chamber tombs. A wall of rocks and loam was built, of which only the vertical rocks remain standing. In the Hellenistic and Roman period, the site was probably used as a fortified place of refuge. The site has some notability in archaeoastronomy, where it is interpreted as an "ancient observatory". Armenian physicist and archaeoastronomy enthusiast Paris Herouni dates it to 7,500 B.C. In 1998 a group of archeologists founded household items and unique burial and ceremonial items, which are on display at Sisian History Museum. The position of the rocks leads the scientists to believe that Zorakarer served as an observatory where scholar and lunar eclipses were predicted and was created a calendar. A similar structure is found at Metsamor.
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| Petroglyphs |
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| Vishap |
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| Karahundje |
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| Urartian fortress Erebuni |
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Urartu is the first kingdom in Armenia. By the 9th century B.C., a confederation of local tribes flourished as the unified state of Urartu. It grew to become one of the strongest kingdoms in the Near East and constituted a formidable rival to Assyria for supremacy in the region. The Urartian produced and exported wares of ceramic, stone and metal, building fortresses, temples, palaces and other large public works. There are some ruins of Urartian fortresses were preserved in the territory around Sevan. One of them is in the village Lchashen. Not far from the village archaeologists opened the ruins of Urartian fortress. It is difficult to determine the precise date of the erection of this fortress, but on one of the cuneiform inscriptions scientists carried this of construction to VII BC. Among the findings, made in the fortress, there were the objects, prepared from the tree, ceramics, and also diverse adornments of II millennium BC and the subsequent periods. Many of the objects obtained here, from the wooden vehicles to the bronze figurines of people and animals, were preserved well, because of the prolonged presence under water. Finally, the most famous ruins of ancient Urartian fortress from all that preserving in Armenia situated in Yerevan.
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Christianity and Christian Culture
Armenians accepted Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD and became the first officially Christian nation in the world. The religion is deeply rooted in Armenia. Most ethnic Armenians belong to the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox church. The head of the church is the Catholicos of All Armenians, who resides in Holy Echmiadzin. The founder of Armenian Gregorian church was Grigor Lusavorich. He was the first Catholicos of all Armenians. After the adoption of Christianity in 301AD, King Trdat III destroyed the pagan temple in Vagharshapat and founded the Cathedral of St.Etchmiadzin. There is a large quantity of monuments of the Christian culture in Armenia. The statement of Christianity in Armenia required the accommodation in churches of large number of prayers. The basilica best satisfied this requirement. In the early Christian period in Armenia V-VI centuries, church architecture proceeded with the creation of various basilica domed houses. Armenian architecture carved its national style with the construction of the cathedrals of Echmiadzin, Hripsime, Zvartnots, and Geghard Monastery. During the 9th through 14th centuries, Armenian architecture proceeded on the same developments path and crated new masterpieces: the monasteries of Amberd, Tatev, Aghtamar, Marmarashen, Sanahin, and Haghpat (9th through 11 centuries), s, Haghartsin, Goshavank, Makaravank, Ohanavank, and Noravank (12th through 14th centuries). A unique manifestation of Armenian medieval national art is comprised by the monuments called khachkars or cross stones illustrating the images on Christian themes which were used widely in Armenia. The art of carving of the khachkars was in its maturity in the XII-XIII centuries. But there are also found in Armenia prehistoric monoliths which had ceremonial significance in the pagan religion.
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| Cathedral St.Etchmiadzin |
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| Geghard Monastery |
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Yerevan Capital City
Yerevan - Armenia's capital - a city which stands upon the ancient Urartian fortress of Erebuni. Yerevan, the ancient capital of Armenia, witch 2790 years old. It is one of the oldest cities in the world. The earliest recorded settlement there dates back to 782 BC. King Argishty I founded a fortress city in the north-eastern part of present-day Yerevan, with the following cuneiform inscription, "With the majesty of God Khald, Argishty, son of Menua, built up this inaccessible castle and named it Erebuni..." You can still see relics from this part of our history at the Erebuni Museum in Yerevan. As you explore the many interesting sights in Modern Yerevan, you will learn about the culture and history of one of the world's oldest nations. In 2008, Yerevan celebrated its 2790th anniversary. Today’s Yerevan is a big beautiful city with a population numbering over 1.2 million. The central part of the city involves three main squares: the Republic Square, the Shahumian Square and the Theatrical Square. The Republic Square is the gemstone of the city, framed by buildings of the Government and the Hotel Armenia designed by Alexander Tamanyan in the best tradition of Armenian architecture. The History Museum and the Art Gallery are also to found on Republic Square. The Theatrical Square is adjacent to the State Opera and Ballet House making up another picturesque ensemble. The Victory Bridge with the famous Wine and Cognac Factories represent another composition genuinely fitting with the Hrazdan canyon. Mashtots Avenue, one of the main arteries of the city, starts here. It then goes up north, ending at the steps of Matenadaran - a unique research institute and museum of ancient manuscripts named after Mesrop Mashtots, the creator of the Armenian alphabet in 405 AD. More than 15000 manuscripts are stored in Matenadaran. About 2500 sheets of them are decorated miniatures. High up the hill, behind Matenadaran, the monumental statue of Mother Armenia stands on a vigil over the panorama of the city. The Baghramyan Avenue takes you further north to the buildings of the Academy of Sciences, the National Assembly and many Embassies. Visitors of the Armenian capital can enjoy walking the city streets and see many historical and cultural sights. Armenian’s rich history and culture are well documented in over 100 museums. Most of them are in Yerevan.
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| Mount Ararat |
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| Republic Square |
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| Matenadaran |
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National Traditions
Armenia knew how to preserve its true intellectual wealth - religion, culture and national centuries-old traditions. Armenian people, sharply feel their national self-consciousness and cultural unity. They build their everyday life with the respect to the customs of ancestors. From ancient times, Armenians have cherished those traditions. Today stably remain such traditions as the strength of marriage, the respect of elders, the retention of the related connections and the custom of the related and neighborly mutual aid.
The Hospitality of Armenian people is known all over the world. Armenians greatly love the guests and at any time meets you with the warm and friendly welcome.
The traditional Armenian cuisine has a large variety of richly flavored dishes. Fresh vegetable and meat are considered to be the most favorite food in Armenia. No Armenian celebratory table can be imagined without the most favorite traditional dish: khorovats (barbecue), kyufta and dolma. But bread will be the main thing on the each table. Lavash is the famous kind of bread in Armenia from the ancient times. There is also a traditional dish called khash, which foresees a great ritual, starting from its preparatory process till the last moment at the table. The numerous restaurants in Yerevan offer authentic local food. Each Armenian knows that Noah, after stepping to the earth in this sacred place, planted here first grapevine. Beginning so was established to traditional wine making in Armenia. The excavations actually testify, about the fact that fault they here made even in 9-10 centuries B.C.
Armenians celebrate both National and Religious holidays. The celebrations here are usually accompanied with joyful songs and traditional circle dances. There are several of them:
January 6 – Christmas – is the Birthday of Christ and is celebrated by people all over the world. The Armenians celebrate this Christian holiday together with the Epiphany and go to churches in their neighborhoods and celebrate these two holidays all at once. According to tradition the major dish is considered to be fish and rice porridge.
14 – Purification (Trndez) – According to religious custom this holiday is connected with the idea of coming forward to the Lord with fire, after 40 days of his birth. The Armenian Church celebrates it on February 14th - 40 days after January 6th, from which originates the religious name: coming forward to the Lord. The main ceremony of Trndez is a bonfire, which symbolizes the coming of spring.
April – Easter – Easter is the favorite and the most anticipated holiday in the Christian world. Everybody greets each other on this day: “Christ has arisen” – “Blessed is the resurrection of Christ”. This is the greatest holiday of the Armenian Church which begins on Good Friday and lasts throughout the weekend. A long-standing Easter tradition is the coloring of Easter eggs. Colored eggs, especially the red ones symbolize the blood of Christ. In Armenia a traditional game is played where hard boiled pace eggs are distributed and each player hits the other players egg with their own. This is known as "egg dumping" or "egg jarping". The winner gets the eggs of the loser.
July 15- Transfiguration – Vardavar (The feast of water) – in the traditional Armenian range of holidays Transfiguration is the greatest holiday of the summer, which is celebrated 14 weeks after Easter. In pre-Christian Armenia this holiday was connected with pagan goddess Anahit to whose heathen temple the young and the old went to on pilgrimage. The word Vardavar has two meanings: “the flaming of the rose” and “to sprinkle with water”. On the day of this holiday everybody pours water on one another starting in the early morning and no one must fell offended or displeased.
August 12 - Grape Blessing Day - this holiday is celebrated on the nearest Sunday of August 15. Catholicos of Armenian Church blesses the grape harvest.
October 13 – St. Targmanchats Holiday – this holiday is celebrated in October and devoted to Armenian language and culture.
Armenian Wedding is also a very big holiday. The ceremony includes betrothal, engagement and wedding itself. The tradition of “seven days seven nights” celebration has become obsolete. The abundance of guests at Armenian wedding is a must. At the wedding the bride is given a boy to cuddle – it is desirable that first-born is a boy. A Birth of a child, especially a boy, is a happy event which has always been welcome. On church holidays in front of the house where a baby was born music played and the house was decorated with green branches – the symbol of family continuation. Traditionally (especially in rural areas) Armenian families have a lot of children. It is accepted that a person having any happy life occasion puts his hand on a head of his friend or relative saying “tarose kez” (“I pass it to you” ) - wishing them the same good luck.
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