Armenian mythology originated in ancient
Indo-European traditions, specifically
Proto-Armenian
Proto-Armenian is the earlier, unattested stage of the Armenian language which has been reconstructed by linguists. As Armenian is the only known language of its branch of the Indo-European languages, the comparative method cannot be used to re ...
, and gradually incorporated
Hurro-
Urartian,
Mesopotamian,
Iranian, and
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
beliefs and deities.
["Armenia (Vannic)" by A.H. Sayce, p.793-4; "Armenia (Zoroastrian)", by M(ardiros). H. Ananikian, p.794-802; in Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics, ed. ]James Hastings
James Hastings (26 March 1852 – 15 October 1922) was a Scottish United Free Church minister and biblical scholar. He is best known for producing major reference works, including a 5-volume '' Dictionary of the Bible'' and a 13-volume ''Encyc ...
vol. 1
1908
Formation of Armenian mythology
The pantheon of Armenian gods, initially worshipped by
Proto-Armenians, inherited their essential elements from the religious beliefs and mythologies of the
Proto-Indo-Europeans and peoples of the
Armenian Highlands. Historians distinguish a significant body of
Indo-European language words which were used in Armenian pagan rites. The oldest cults are believed to have worshipped a creator called Ar (or possibly Ara), embodied as the sun (Arev or Areg); the ancient Armenians called themselves "children of the sun". Also among the most ancient types of Indo-European-derived worship are the cults of eagles and lions, and of the sky.
After the establishment of Iranian dominance in Armenia in the 1st millennium BCE, Zoroastrianism had a major influence on Armenian religion. Until the late Parthian period, the Armenian lands adhered to a syncretic form of Mazdaism, which mixed Iranian religious concepts with traditional Armenian beliefs.
For example, the supreme god of the Armenian pantheon, Vanatur, was later replaced by
Aramazd
Aramazd ( arm, Արամազդ) was the chief and creator god in the Armenian version of Zoroastrianism.; ; ; ; ; The deity and his name were derived from the deity Ahura Mazda after the Median conquest of Armenia in the 6th century BC. Aramazd wa ...
(the
Parthian form of
Ahura Mazda).
[Mary Boyce]
''Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices''
Psychology Press, 2001 p 84 However, the Armenian version of Aramazd preserved many native Armenian aspects. Similarly, the traditional Armenian goddess of fertility, Nar, was replaced by
Anahit, which may derived from Persian
Anahita
Anahita is the Old Persian form of the name of an Iranian goddess and appears in complete and earlier form as ('), the Avestan name of an Indo-Iranian cosmological figure venerated as the divinity of "the Waters" (Aban) and hence associate ...
, although the Armenian goddess was entirely distinct from her Iranian counterpart.
In the Hellenistic age (3rd to 1st centuries BCE), ancient Armenian deities were identified with ancient Greek deities:
Aramazd
Aramazd ( arm, Արամազդ) was the chief and creator god in the Armenian version of Zoroastrianism.; ; ; ; ; The deity and his name were derived from the deity Ahura Mazda after the Median conquest of Armenia in the 6th century BC. Aramazd wa ...
with
Zeus
Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label= genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label= genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek reli ...
,
Anahit with
Artemis
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified wit ...
,
Vahagn with
Heracles
Heracles ( ; grc-gre, Ἡρακλῆς, , glory/fame of Hera), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptiv ...
,
Astłik
In the earliest prehistoric period Astłik ( hy, Աստղիկ) had been worshipped as the Armenian deity of fertility and love, later the skylight had been considered her personification, and she had been the consort of Vahagn. In the later heathe ...
with
Aphrodite,
Nane with
Athena,
Mihr with
Hephaestus
Hephaestus (; eight spellings; grc-gre, Ἥφαιστος, Hḗphaistos) is the Greek god of blacksmiths, metalworking, carpenters, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metallurgy, fire (compare, however, with Hestia), and volcanoes.Walter B ...
,
Tir with
Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label= Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label ...
.
After the formal adoption of
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
in the 4th century CE, ancient myths and beliefs transformed to adhere more closely to Christian beliefs. Biblical characters took over the functions of the archaic gods and spirits. For example,
John the Baptist inherited certain features of Vahagn and Tir, and the archangel
Gabriel
In Abrahamic religions ( Judaism, Christianity and Islam), Gabriel (); Greek: grc, Γαβριήλ, translit=Gabriḗl, label=none; Latin: ''Gabriel''; Coptic: cop, Ⲅⲁⲃⲣⲓⲏⲗ, translit=Gabriêl, label=none; Amharic: am, ገብ ...
took on elements of Vahagn.
Basic information about Armenian pagan traditions were preserved in the works of ancient Greek authors such as
Plato
Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...
,
Herodotus
Herodotus ( ; grc, , }; BC) was an ancient Greek historian and geographer
A geographer is a physical scientist, social scientist or humanist whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society ...
,
Xenophon and
Strabo, Byzantine scholar
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea ( grc-gre, Προκόπιος ὁ Καισαρεύς ''Prokópios ho Kaisareús''; la, Procopius Caesariensis; – after 565) was a prominent late antique Greek scholar from Caesarea Maritima. Accompanying the Roman gen ...
of Caesarea, as well as medieval Armenian writers such as
Movses Khorenatsi,
Agathangelos,
Eznik of Kolb
Eznik of Kolb ( hy, Եզնիկ Կողբացի, translit=Yeznik Koghbatsi), was an Armenian Christian writer of the 5th century.
Biography
Eznik was born in Koghb (modern-day Tuzluca, Turkey), located in a tributary valley of the Chorokh in ...
,
Sebeos, and
Anania Shirakatsi, as well as in oral folk traditions.
Pantheon
The pantheon of pre-Christian Armenia changed over the centuries. Originally native Armenian in nature, the pantheon was modified through,
Hurro-
Urartian,
Semitic,
Iranian and
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
influences.
One common motif that spanned many or all pagan Armenian pantheons was the belief in a ruling triad of supreme gods, usually comprising a chief, creator god, his thunder god son, and a mother goddess.
Early Armenian
These gods are believed to have been native Armenian gods, worshipped during the earliest eras of Armenian history (
Proto-Armenian
Proto-Armenian is the earlier, unattested stage of the Armenian language which has been reconstructed by linguists. As Armenian is the only known language of its branch of the Indo-European languages, the comparative method cannot be used to re ...
). Many, if not all, of them are believed to have derived from
Proto-Indo-European religion
Proto-Indo-European mythology is the body of myths and deities associated with the Proto-Indo-Europeans, the hypothetical speakers of the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European language. Although the mythological motifs are not directly attested ...
. There is also likely influence from the indigenous beliefs of the
Armenian Highlands.
*Areg (Arev) or Ar, god of the Sun, comparable with Mesopotamian
Utu
Utu (dUD "Sun"), also known under the Akkadian name Shamash, ''šmš'', syc, ܫܡܫܐ ''šemša'', he, שֶׁמֶשׁ ''šemeš'', ar, شمس ''šams'', Ashurian Aramaic: 𐣴𐣬𐣴 ''š'meš(ā)'' was the ancient Mesopotamian sun god. ...
. Likely also known as, or developed into, Ara. This god was probably mentioned on the Urartian-era Door of Meher (as Ara or Arwaa).
[The Cambridge Ancient History: III Part 1: The Prehistory of the Balkans, the Middle East and the Aegean World, Tenth to Eighth Centuries BC. Cambridge University Press. 1971. p. 335.] Linguists
Martin E. Huld and
Birgit Anette Olsen state that the word ''arew'' is cognate to the Indian name
Ravi, also meaning "sun". This etymological connection, argues H. Martirosyan, indicates an inherited
Armeno-Aryan poetical expression.
*
Astłik
In the earliest prehistoric period Astłik ( hy, Աստղիկ) had been worshipped as the Armenian deity of fertility and love, later the skylight had been considered her personification, and she had been the consort of Vahagn. In the later heathe ...
, cognate to the Mesopotamian goddess
Inanna, identified with
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...
. A fertility goddess and consort of
Vahagn, sharing a temple with him in the city of
Ashtishat
Ashtishat (, ''Aštišat''; Western Armenian: ''Ashdishad'') is a locality and archaeological site in Muş Province of eastern Turkey. It is located near the village of Yücetepe, Muş at 38° 58' 20"N and 41° 27' 04" E on the Murat river east ...
.
The holiday of
Vardavar was originally in honor of Astɫik. The name "Astɫik" derives from ''astɫ'' "star" from Proto-Indo-European
''*h₂stḗr'' plus the Armenian diminutive suffix ''-ik''.
*Ayg, goddess of the dawn.
*Angeł - "the Invisible" (literally: "unseen"), god of the underworld. The main temple of Angeł was located at Angeł-tun (House of Angeł), which possibly corresponded to the Ingalova of
Hittite and Ingelene/Ingilena of
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
and
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
records, likely located near modern
Eğil
Eğil ( Hittite: 𒅔𒃲𒀀𒉿 ''Ingalawa'', ota, اکيل, ku, Egil) is a town and district of Diyarbakır Province of Turkey. As of 2018, the district's population is 23,369. The elected mayor Mustafa Akkul of the Peoples' Democratic Party ...
. Comparable with
Nergal and
Hades.
*
Tork Angegh - "Given by Angeł". A great-grandson of Hayk. A monstrous and ugly hero. Threw massive boulders to sink enemy ships in the
Black Sea. Sometimes equated with
Thor and
Polyphemus and possibly
Tarḫunna
Tarḫunna or Tarḫuna/i was the Hittite weather god. He was also referred to as the "Weather god of Heaven" or the "Lord of the Land of Hatti".
Name
Tarḫunna is a cognate of the Hittite verb ''tarḫu-zi'', "to prevail, conquer, be power ...
.
*Amanor - "The bearer of new fruits" (the god of the new year,
Navasard). May or may not have been the same god as Vanatur.
*Vanatur - Either meaning "the Lord of
Van" or "giving asylum", Vanatur was the god of hospitality. He may or may not have been the same god as Amanor.
Later equated with
Aramazd
Aramazd ( arm, Արամազդ) was the chief and creator god in the Armenian version of Zoroastrianism.; ; ; ; ; The deity and his name were derived from the deity Ahura Mazda after the Median conquest of Armenia in the 6th century BC. Aramazd wa ...
and
Zeus
Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label= genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label= genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek reli ...
.
*Nvard (
Classical Armenian: Nuard) - Consort of Ara. Comparable with Nane and Inanna (Ishtar). Likely developed into Anahit.
*
Tsovinar - "Nar of the Sea", goddess of waters and the ocean. Perhaps also a lightning goddess. Became the consort of Vahagn.
["Vahagn" in ''Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition'', by Anthony Mercanante and James Dow, Infobase, 2009. p.991] Possibly connected to
Inara.
*Andndayin ōj, "the Abyssal Serpent" that lived in the black waters surrounding the
world tree.
Hayasan
While the exact relationship between the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...
kingdom of
Hayasa-Azzi
Hayasa-Azzi or Azzi-Hayasa ( hit, URUḪaiaša-, hy, Հայասա) was a Late Bronze Age confederation in the Armenian Highlands and/or Pontic region of Asia Minor. The Hayasa-Azzi confederation was in conflict with the Hittite Empire in t ...
and Armenians is uncertain, many scholars believe that there is a connection (compare Hayasa with the Armenian endonyms Hayastan and Hay). Not much is known about the Hayasan pantheon but some names survive via Hittite records. The triad may have comprised U.GUR, INANNA, and Tarumu.
[Petrosyan, Armen ''The Indo-European and Ancient Near Eastern Sources of the Armenian Epic']
(2002) pp. 130.
*U.GUR - The chief god of the Hayasan pantheon. Represented by the divine ideogram U.GUR in Hittite records, which is equated with the Sumerian god
Nergal. This god's name is unknown, but it may have been Angeł, Hayk, Ar, or a variation of the Hattian god Šulikatte. Probably the father of Terettitunnis and Tarumu. May also have been associated with Semitic
EL (god), El (Elkunirša in Hittite).
*
INANNA - The consort of the chief god of Hayasa. Like her husband, her name has not survived, but it is speculated that she was an early form of Anahit, and associated with the Hittite
Asertu.
*Terittitunnis - Possibly an early form of Vahagn. Perhaps related to Greek
Triton.
[Petrosyan, Armen ''The Indo-European and Ancient Near Eastern Sources of the Armenian Epic']
(2002) pp. 106.
*Tarumu - The sixth god of the Hayasan pantheon. Perhaps connected to
Tarḫunna, Tarhu.
*Baltaik - Possibly a goddess connected to
West Semitic Ba‘alat (
Astarte
Astarte (; , ) is the Hellenized form of the Ancient Near Eastern goddess Ashtart or Athtart ( Northwest Semitic), a deity closely related to Ishtar ( East Semitic), who was worshipped from the Bronze Age through classical antiquity. The name ...
), with a probable Armenian diminutive suffix ''-ik'' (such as is present in the name of the goddess "Astɫik").
Alternately, it could etymologically derive from Proto Indo-European ''*bʰel-'' (meaning 'bright'), via the ''*bʰel-to'' form.
*Izzistanus(?) - A proposed reconstruction of a damaged name "s/t-an-nu-us". Perhaps a version of
Hattian Estan (''Ezzi Estan'': 'good Estan').
*Unag-astuas or Unagastas - A deity mentioned in the treaty with the Hittites, but with unknown qualities. Likely connected, etymologically, to Astvats (Classical Armenian: Astuas), a name which continues to be used today for
God
In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...
in
Armenian Christianity. May have been a form of the
Subarian god Astuvanu (Astupinu), who is equated with Sumerian
Nergal.
Urartian
The gods of the Urartian pantheon were mostly borrowed from
Hittite and
Luwian
The Luwians were a group of Anatolian peoples who lived in central, western, and southern Anatolia, in present-day Turkey, during the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. They spoke the Luwian language, an Indo-European language of the Anatolian sub-fam ...
,
Hurrian,
Semitic, and possibly Armenian and
Indo-Iranian religions.
*
Ḫaldi
Ḫaldi (dingir, d,''Ḫaldi'', also known as Khaldi) was one of the three chief deities of Urartu. He was a warrior god to whom the kings of Urartu would pray for victories in battle. Ḫaldi was portrayed as a man with or without wings, standi ...
or Khaldi - The chief god of Urartu. An
Akkadian deity (with a possible Armenian or
Greco-Armenian name—compare to
Helios) not introduced into the Urartian pantheon until the reign of
Ishpuini.
Formed a triad with his sons Artinis and Teisheba.
Equated with
Baal and Mitra/Mihr. Sometimes also connected to Hayk.
*
Arubani - Wife of Ḫaldi. Goddess of fertility and art. Possibly an early form of Anahit.
*
Bagvarti Bagmashtu (also known as Bagparti, Bagvarti, Bagbartu) is an Araratian (Urartian) goddess, and the consort or wife of the chief Urartian god Haldi. Although throughout most of Urartu Arubani is known as Khaldi's wife, at the excavation of Musasir ...
or Bagmashtu (Bagbartu) - Wife of Ḫaldi. Possibly a regional variant (of Armenian or Indo-Iranian origins) of Arubani, or perhaps a different goddess entirely.
*
Teispas or Teisheba - Storm god, a son of Ḫaldi, with whom he formed the lead triad of the gods. A variation of Hurrian
Teshub
Teshub (also written Teshup, Teššup, or Tešup; cuneiform ; hieroglyphic Luwian , read as ''Tarhunzas'';Annick Payne (2014), ''Hieroglyphic Luwian: An Introduction with Original Texts'', 3rd revised edition, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, p. ...
.
*
Shivini
Shivini ( xur, 𒀭𒅆𒄿𒌑𒄿𒉌, translit=dši-i-u2-i-ni), also known as Siuini, Artinis, Ardinis, was a solar god in the mythology of the Iron Age kingdom of Urartu in the Armenian Highlands. He is the third god in a triad with Khal ...
or Artinis - Sun god, a son of Ḫaldi, with whom he formed the lead triad of the gods.
From the Proto-Indo-European and Hittite god Siu (compare with Zeus,
Deus, etc.). Artinis is the Armenian form, literally meaning "sun god" and is possibly connected to Ara.
*
Selardi (or Melardi) - Moon god or goddess. Possibly the sister of Artinis (from Armenian ''siela'' 'sister'; ''ardi'' 'sun god').
*Saris - Probably a corruption of
Ishtar
Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, divine justice, and political power. She was originally worshiped in Su ...
.
*Huba - Wife of Theispas. Version of
Hebat.
*Keura - Possibly god of the land.
*Šebitu - Little is known about this god but Rusa III claimed to be his servant.
Iranian influence
Zoroastrian influences penetrated Armenian culture during the
Achaemenid Empire, though conversion was incomplete and syncretistic, and the Persians and Armenians never appeared to identify with each other as co-religionists
despite both referring to themselves as "Mazda worshipers."
*
Aramazd
Aramazd ( arm, Արամազդ) was the chief and creator god in the Armenian version of Zoroastrianism.; ; ; ; ; The deity and his name were derived from the deity Ahura Mazda after the Median conquest of Armenia in the 6th century BC. Aramazd wa ...
- Cognate of the Iranian
Ahura Mazda (or
Ormazd
Ahura Mazda (; ae, , translit=Ahura Mazdā; ), also known as Oromasdes, Ohrmazd, Ahuramazda, Hoormazd, Hormazd, Hormaz and Hurmuz, is the creator deity in Zoroastrianism. He is the first and most frequently invoked spirit in the ''Yasna''. ...
), possibly mixed with Ara or Aram. Head of the pantheon, identified with Zeus in the ''
interpretatio graeca
''Interpretatio graeca'' (Latin, "Greek translation") or "interpretation by means of Greek odels is a discourse used to interpret or attempt to understand the mythology and religion of other cultures; a comparative methodology using ancient G ...
'', with whom he shared many titles.
Along with Anahit and Vahagn formed a lead triad.
Equated with Vanatur and Aram and Ara, all of which he took aspects from. In time, the positive functions of
Baal Shamin were absorbed by Aramazd.
* Anadatus - The Armenian form of the Zoroastrian
Amesha Spenta ''
Ameretat
(Avestan: ''𐬀𐬨𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬙𐬁𐬙 '') is the Avestan language name of the Zoroastrian divinity/divine concept of immortality. Amerdad is the Amesha Spenta of long life on earth and perpetuality in the hereafter.
The word ' is grammat ...
''.
*
Anahit - Cognate of the Iranian
Anahita
Anahita is the Old Persian form of the name of an Iranian goddess and appears in complete and earlier form as ('), the Avestan name of an Indo-Iranian cosmological figure venerated as the divinity of "the Waters" (Aban) and hence associate ...
. Probably originally related to
Sumerian
Inanna and
Babylonian Anunit (Ishtar, Astarte) prior to Iranian presence in the region. The goddess of fertility and birth, and daughter or wife of Aramazd, Anahit is also identified with
Artemis
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified wit ...
and
Aphrodite. Temples dedicated to Anahit were established in
Ani-Kammakh,
Armavir,
Artashat,
Ashtishat
Ashtishat (, ''Aštišat''; Western Armenian: ''Ashdishad'') is a locality and archaeological site in Muş Province of eastern Turkey. It is located near the village of Yücetepe, Muş at 38° 58' 20"N and 41° 27' 04" E on the Murat river east ...
.
Ani
Ani ( hy, Անի; grc-gre, Ἄνιον, ''Ánion''; la, Abnicum; tr, Ani) is a ruined medieval Armenian city now situated in Turkey's province of Kars, next to the closed border with Armenia.
Between 961 and 1045, it was the capital of the ...
is likely a derivation or alternate form of Anahit.
*
Mihr - Cognate with the Iranian
Mithra
Mithra ( ae, ''Miθra'', peo, 𐎷𐎰𐎼 ''Miça'') commonly known as Mehr, is the Iranian deity of covenant, light, oath, justice and the sun. In addition to being the divinity of contracts, Mithra is also a judicial figure, an all-seein ...
. God of the sun and light, son of
Aramazd
Aramazd ( arm, Արամազդ) was the chief and creator god in the Armenian version of Zoroastrianism.; ; ; ; ; The deity and his name were derived from the deity Ahura Mazda after the Median conquest of Armenia in the 6th century BC. Aramazd wa ...
, the brother of
Anahit and
Nane. Historically, despite his high place in the pantheon, worship of Mihr was eclipsed by Vahagn
(indeed, Mihr's worship appears to have been supplementary to Vahagn's), and little is known about his worship aside from similarities to the Iranian Mithra and the absence of the
Mithraic mysteries
Mithraism, also known as the Mithraic mysteries or the Cult of Mithras, was a Roman mystery religion centered on the god Mithras. Although inspired by Iranian worship of the Zoroastrian divinity (''yazata'') Mithra, the Roman Mithras is lin ...
.
Mihr was identified with
Hephaestus
Hephaestus (; eight spellings; grc-gre, Ἥφαιστος, Hḗphaistos) is the Greek god of blacksmiths, metalworking, carpenters, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metallurgy, fire (compare, however, with Hestia), and volcanoes.Walter B ...
by
Movses Khorenatsi and later authors.
His center of worship was located in Bagaharich,
and the temple of Garni was dedicated to him.
* Omanos - The Armenian form of the Zoroastrian ''
Vohu Manah
Vohu Manah (Avestan: 𐬬𐬊𐬵𐬎 𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬵 ''vohu manah'') is the Avestan language term for a Zoroastrian concept, generally translated as "Good Purpose", "Good Mind", or "Good Thought", referring to the good state of mind that ...
''.
*
Spandaramet
Spandaramet ( arm, Սպանդարամետ) or Sandaramet (Սանդարամետ) was the Armenian language, Armenian name of the Zoroastrianism, Zoroastrian ''yazata'' (angelic divinity) Spenta Armaiti, one of the six Amesha Spentas, and the guardia ...
- Cognate of the Iranian
Spenta Armaiti
In Zoroastrianism, Spənta Ārmaiti (Avestan 𐬯𐬞𐬆𐬧𐬙𐬀 𐬁𐬭𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬙𐬌 for "Bounteous Harmony" or "Holy Devotion") is one of the Amesha Spentas, the seven divine manifestations of Wisdom and Ahura Mazda. While older sour ...
,
["Santamaret" in ''Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition'', by Anthony Mercanante and James Dow, Infobase, 2009. p.861] a daughter of Aramazd, and cthonic goddess of fertility, vineyards
and the underworld.
Spandaramet was chosen by translators of some Armenian
Bibles to convey the meaning of
''Διόνυσος'') in
2 Maccabees
2 Maccabees, el, Μακκαβαίων Β´, translit=Makkabaíōn 2 also known as the Second Book of Maccabees, Second Maccabees, and abbreviated as 2 Macc., is a deuterocanonical book which recounts the persecution of Jews under King Antiochus I ...
6:7. Sometimes called ''Sandaramet''
or ''Santamaret''
denoting a connection to the underworld unique to Armenian theology, even in Christian writings.
Her kingdom is said to be inhabited by evil spirits called Santarametakans.
*
Tir or Tiur - Cognate to either the Iranian
''Tir'' (or ''Tishtrya'') or (via Armenian ''dpir'' "scribe") the Babylonian
Nabu. In either case, the mercurial god of wisdom, written language, culture, and science; messenger of the gods
and
psychopomp
Psychopomps (from the Greek word , , literally meaning the 'guide of souls') are supernatural creatures, spirits, entities, angels, demons or deities in many religions whose responsibility is to escort newly deceased souls from Earth to the afte ...
.
Identified with the Greek
Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label= Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label ...
.
Tir's role as psychopomp may have been absorbed from the
Luwian
The Luwians were a group of Anatolian peoples who lived in central, western, and southern Anatolia, in present-day Turkey, during the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. They spoke the Luwian language, an Indo-European language of the Anatolian sub-fam ...
thunder god ''Tarhunda'', whose name had been used to translate that of the Mesopotamian underworld god
Nergal.
Tir's temple was located near
Artashat.
*
Vahagn - A "k'aj" (brave). Etymologically derived from Iranian
Verethragna (via ''Vahram'' -> ''Vram'' -> ''Vam'' + ''-agn''), however, the Armenian Vahagn had little to do with his Iranian namesake. The storm god and dragon slayer, identified with the Greek
Hercules, this identification went full circle when Armenian translators of the Bible used Vahagn to translate ''
Ἡρακλῆς '' in 2 Maccabees 4:19.
Sometimes referred to by the title Tsovean, particularly in his role as a god of the seas.
Vahagn may have originally been the
Hayasan god, Terittitunni, who adopted some features of the Hurro-Urartian storm god
Teshub
Teshub (also written Teshup, Teššup, or Tešup; cuneiform ; hieroglyphic Luwian , read as ''Tarhunzas'';Annick Payne (2014), ''Hieroglyphic Luwian: An Introduction with Original Texts'', 3rd revised edition, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, p. ...
/
Teisheba. Christian folklore absorbed Vahagn's role as a storm or weather god into the archangel
Gabriel
In Abrahamic religions ( Judaism, Christianity and Islam), Gabriel (); Greek: grc, Γαβριήλ, translit=Gabriḗl, label=none; Latin: ''Gabriel''; Coptic: cop, Ⲅⲁⲃⲣⲓⲏⲗ, translit=Gabriêl, label=none; Amharic: am, ገብ ...
.
Derik
Derik ( ku, Dêrika Çiyayê Mazî) is a town in the Derik District in Mardin Province of Turkey. The town had a population of 18,942 in 2021.
Government
In the local elections of April 10 Mülkiye Esmez from the Peoples' Democratic Party was e ...
housed the central temple to Vahagn.
Post-Alexandrian influences
*
Barsamin - God of sky and weather, derived from the Semitic god
Baal Shamin.
*
Nane - Cognate of the Elamitic Nanē, (via the Babylonian
Nanâ),
["Nane (Hanea)" in ''Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition'', by Anthony Mercanante and James Dow, Infobase, 2009. p.703] also assimilating aspects of the
Phrygian Cybele
Cybele ( ; Phrygian language, Phrygian: ''Matar Kubileya/Kubeleya'' "Kubileya/Kubeleya Mother", perhaps "Mountain Mother"; Lydian language, Lydian ''Kuvava''; el, Κυβέλη ''Kybele'', ''Kybebe'', ''Kybelis'') is an Anatolian mother godde ...
.
["Armenian Mythology"](_blank)
i
The Oxford Companion to World Mythology
by David Leeming, Oxford University Press, 17 Nov 2005, p.29 Daughter of Aramazd, sister of Anahit and Mihr. A goddess of motherhood, war, and wisdom. Identified with
Athena.
Her cult was related to
Anahit, both of their temples located near each other in
Gavar
Gavar ( hy, Գավառ) is a town and urban municipal community in Armenia serving as the administrative centre of Gegharkunik Province. It is situated among the high mountains of Gegham range to the west of Lake Sevan, with an average height ...
.
Monsters and spirits
*
Al - The Al is a dwarfish evil spirit that attacks pregnant women and steals newborn babies. Described as half-animal and half-man, its teeth are of iron and nails of brass or copper. It usually wears a pointed hat covered in bells, and can become invisible.
*
Aralez - Aralezner - The oldest gods in the Armenian pantheon, Aralez are dog-like creatures (modeled on
Gampr) with powers to resuscitate fallen warriors and resurrect the dead by licking wounds clean.
*
Devs
''Devs'' is an American science fiction thriller television miniseries created, written, and directed by Alex Garland. It premiered on March 5, 2020, on FX on Hulu.
Lily Chan (Sonoya Mizuno) is a software engineer for Amaya, a quantum computing ...
- The Dev are air-composed spirit creatures originating from
Zoroastrian mythology (the
Daeva
A daeva (Avestan: 𐬛𐬀𐬉𐬎𐬎𐬀 ''daēuua'') is a Zoroastrian supernatural entity with disagreeable characteristics. In the Gathas, the oldest texts of the Zoroastrian canon, the ''daeva''s are "gods that are (to be) rejected". This ...
s), and share many similarities to angels and demons. They reside in stony places and ruins, and usually keep to themselves.
* Shahapet - The Shahapet (Սհահապետ), also called Khshathrapti, Shavod, Shoithrapaiti, Shvaz and Shvod, were usually friendly guardian spirits of Armenian,
Slavic and
Persian mythology
Persian mythology or Iranian mythology ( Persian:اساطیرشناسی ایرانی) is the body of the myths originally told by ancient Persians and other Iranian peoples, and a genre of Ancient Persian folklore. These stories concern the ori ...
, who typically appeared in the form of serpents. They inhabited houses, orchards, fields, forests and graveyards, among other places. The Shvaz type was more agriculturally oriented, while the Shvod was a guardian of the home. A Shvod who is well-treated may reward the home's inhabitants with gold, but if mistreated might cause strife and leave.
* Nhang - The Nhang was a river-dwelling serpent-monster with shape shifting powers, often connected to the more conventional Armenian dragons. The creature could change into a seal or lure a man by transforming into a woman, then drag in and drown the victim to drink its blood. The word "Nhang" is sometimes used as a generic term for a sea-monster in ancient Armenian literature.
* Piatek - The Piatek is a large mammalian creature similar to a wingless griffin.
*
Vishap
The Vishap (Վիշապ) is a dragon in Armenian mythology closely associated with water, similar to the Leviathan. It is usually depicted as a winged snake or with a combination of elements from different animals.
Mount Ararat was the main home o ...
- A dragon closely associated with water, similar to the Leviathan. It is usually depicted as a winged snake or with a combination of elements from different animals. Prior to Iranian domination in Armenia, the dragons may have been called "gegh".
[Petrosyan, Armen, ''Indo-European *wel- in Armenian mythology'' Journal of Indo-European Studie]
(2016). pp. 134-135. May have been connected to Hurrian
Ullikummi __NOTOC__
In Hurrian mythology, Ullikummi is a giant stone monster, son of Kumarbi and the sea god's daughter, Sertapsuruhi, or a female cliff. The language of the literary myth in its existing redaction is Hittite, in cuneiform texts recovered at ...
and Hittite
Illuyanka
In Hittite mythology, Illuyanka was a serpentine dragon slain by Tarḫunz (), the Hittite incarnation of the Hurrian god of sky and storm. It is known from Hittite cuneiform tablets found at Çorum-Boğazköy, the former Hittite capital Hattu ...
.
Heroes and legendary monarchs
These figures are mainly known through post-Christian sources, but have belonged to the pre-Christian mythology.
Many seem to be derived from Proto-Indo-European mythologies and religious traditions. It is suspected that Hayk, Ara, and Aram were originally deities, possibly from the oldest Armenian pantheon.
*
Ara the Handsome, son of Aram. A handsome warrior slain in a war against
Semiramis
''Samīrāmīs'', hy, Շամիրամ ''Šamiram'') was the semi-legendary Lydian- Babylonian wife of Onnes and Ninus, who succeeded the latter to the throne of Assyria, according to Movses Khorenatsi. Legends narrated by Diodorus Siculus, who dr ...
, in some versions brought back to life by her prayers. Possibly, originally a personified version of the sun god Ar (Arev), likely mentioned on the Urartian-era Door of Meher.
* Aram, slayer of the giant
Barsamin, possibly originally a war god known as Aremenius. Father of Ara. The name Aram is likely an Armenian that directly developed from
Proto-Indo-European ''*rēmo-'', meaning "black". The name is related to Hindu
Rama
Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bein ...
.
*
Hayk, legendary forefather of the
Armenians, who led a successful rebellion against a Babylonian king named
Bel.
["Hayk" in ''Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition'', by Anthony Mercanante and James Dow, Infobase, 2009. p.452] When Bel and his armies pursued Hayk and his people, Hayk fired an arrow across the battle field, killing Bel and scaring off his forces.
Said to have been a giant. Possibly, a thunder/storm god originally. Equated with
Ḫaldi
Ḫaldi (dingir, d,''Ḫaldi'', also known as Khaldi) was one of the three chief deities of Urartu. He was a warrior god to whom the kings of Urartu would pray for victories in battle. Ḫaldi was portrayed as a man with or without wings, standi ...
,
Mitra, and
Orion. The name Hayk may derive from
Proto-Indo-European ''*poti-'' (lord, master, patriarch).
* Karapet, a pre-Christian Armenian mythological character identified with
John the Baptist after the adoption of Christianity by the Armenians. Karapet is usually represented as a glittering long-haired thunder-god with a purple crown and a cross.
*
Nimrod, great-grandson of
Noah and the king of
Shinar, Nimrod is depicted in the Bible as both a man of power in the earth and a mighty hunter.
*
Sanasar and Baghdasar, two brothers founded the town of
Sason
Sason ( hy, Սասուն, translit=Sasun, ku, Qabilcewz, ar, قبل جوز; formerly known as Sasun or Sassoun) is a district and town in the Batman Province of Turkey. It was formerly part of the sanjak of Siirt, which was in Diyarbakır vi ...
, ushering in the eponymous state. Sanasar was considered the ancestor of several generations of heroes of Sassoon. It is said that their mother was subject to a miraculous pregnancy, by drinking water from a certain fountain.
[Hoogasian-Villa, Susie. ''100 Armenian Tales and Their Folkloristic Relevance''. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. 1966. p. 506.]
*
Sargis
Sargis or Sarkis ( hy, Սարգիս, ; , ) is a male given name in both Armenian and Assyrian communities. It is the reduced form of the Armenian surname Sargsyan/Sarkisian.
Etymology
The name ultimately derived from the Latin name Sergius.
Ass ...
, a hero, associated with pre-Christian myths, later identified with Christian saints who bore the same name. He is represented as a tall, slender, handsome knight mounted upon a white horse. Sarkis is able to raise the wind, storms and blizzards, and turn them against enemies.
*
Shamiram, the legendary queen of the
Neo-Assyrian Empire who waged war to get Ara.
* Yervaz and Yervant (
Classical Armenian: ''Eruaz'' and ''Eruand''), mythical twins born from a woman of the
Arsacid dynasty of Armenia, distinguished by enormous features and over-sensitivity.
Bibliography
*
*
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See also
*
Proto-Indo-European mythology
Proto-Indo-European mythology is the body of myths and deities associated with the Proto-Indo-Europeans, the hypothetical speakers of the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European language. Although the mythological motifs are not directly attested � ...
*
Hittite mythology and religion
Hittite mythology and Hittite religion were the religious beliefs and practices of the Hittites, who created an empire centered in what is now Turkey from .
Most of the narratives embodying Hittite mythology are lost, and the elements that w ...
*
Zoroastrianism in Armenia
Zoroastrianism in Armenia dates back as far as to the fifth-century BC, notably during the Achaemenid and Parthian periods in the Armenian Highlands. Prior to Armenia's Christianisation, it was a predominantly Zoroastrian-adhering land. The ''y ...
*
Hinduism in Armenia
*
Persian mythology
Persian mythology or Iranian mythology ( Persian:اساطیرشناسی ایرانی) is the body of the myths originally told by ancient Persians and other Iranian peoples, and a genre of Ancient Persian folklore. These stories concern the ori ...
*
The Golden-Headed Fish
*
The Story of Zoulvisia
Footnotes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Armenian Mythology
Indo-European mythology
Polytheism