David of Sassoun ( hy, Սասունցի Դավիթ ''Sasuntsi Davit also spelled David of Sasun'') is the main hero of Armenia's
national epic ''
Daredevils of Sassoun
''Daredevils of Sassoun'' ( hy, Սասնա ծռեր ''Sasna cṙer'', also spelled Daredevils of Sasun) is an Armenian heroic epic poem in four cycles (parts), with its main hero and story better known as ''David of Sassoun'', which is the stor ...
'', who drove Arab invaders out of
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ' ...
.
Background
The ''Daredevils of Sassoun'' (also known as after its main hero ''David of Sassoun'') is an Armenian
national epic poem recounting David's exploits. As an
oral history, it dates from the 8th century, and was first put in written form in 1873 by
Garegin Srvandztiants.
He also published other ethnographic books.
David of Sassoun is the name of only one of the four acts, but due to the popularity of the character, the entire epic is known to the public as David of Sassoun. The epic's full name is ''Sasna Tsrer'' (The Daredevils of Sassoun).
In 1902, the prominent Armenian poet and writer
Hovhannes Tumanyan
Hovhannes Tumanyan ( hy, Հովհաննես Թումանյան, classical spelling: Յովհաննէս Թումանեան, – March 23, 1923) was an Armenian poet, writer, translator, and literary and public activist. He is the nationa ...
penned a poem of the same name retelling the story of the David of Sassoun in a more modern language.
In 2010, an animated film was produced called ''Sasna Tsrer,'' directed by Arman Manaryan, covering the first three cycles of ''Daredevils of Sassoun.'' The 80-minute animated film took 8 years to create.
In 2012,
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
included the epic in their
Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
References
Armenian culture
Epic poems
Fictional Armenian people
Medieval Armenia
David of Sasun
David of Sassoun ( hy, Սասունցի Դավիթ ''Sasuntsi Davit also spelled David of Sasun'') is the main hero of Armenia's national epic ''Daredevils of Sassoun'', who drove Arab invaders out of Armenia.
Background
The ''Daredevils of ...
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