Armenian mythology originated in ancient

Indo-European The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the overwhelming majority of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and the northern Indian subcontinent. Some European languages of this family, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch ...

traditions, specifically Proto-Armenian, and gradually incorporated Hurro-

Urartian Urartian or Vannic is an extinct Hurro-Urartian language which was spoken by the inhabitants of the ancient kingdom of Urartu (''Biaini'' or ''Biainili'' in Urartian), which was centered on the region around Lake Van and had its capital, Tushpa, ...

Mesopotamian Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...

, Iranian, and Greek 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
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 The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the overwhelming majority of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and the northern Indian subcontinent. Some European languages of this family, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch ...

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 (the

Parthian Parthian may be: Historical * A demonym "of Parthia", a region of north-eastern of Greater Iran * Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 AD) * Parthian language, a now-extinct Middle Iranian language * Parthian shot, an archery skill famously employed by ...

form of

Ahura Mazda 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''. ...

).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 Anahit ( hy, Անահիտ, fa, آناهید) was the goddess of fertility and healing, wisdom and water in Armenian mythology. In early periods she was the goddess of war. By the 5th century BCE she was the main deity in Armenia along with Ar ...

, which may derived from Persian Anahita, 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 with Zeus,

with Artemis, Vahagn with Heracles, Astłik with Aphrodite, Nane with Athena, Mihr with Hephaestus, Tir with Apollo. After the formal adoption of Christianity 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 took on elements of Vahagn. Basic information about Armenian pagan traditions were preserved in the works of ancient Greek authors such as Plato, Herodotus, Xenophon and

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...

, Byzantine scholar Procopius of Caesarea, as well as medieval Armenian writers such as Movses Khorenatsi, Agathangelos, Eznik of Kolb,

Sebeos Sebeos () was a 7th-century Armenian bishop and historian. Little is known about the author, though a signature on the resolution of the Ecclesiastical Council of Dvin in 645 reads 'Bishop Sebeos of Bagratunis.' His writings are valuable as one o ...

, 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-

Semitic Semitic most commonly refers to the Semitic languages, a name used since the 1770s to refer to the language family currently present in West Asia, North and East Africa, and Malta. Semitic may also refer to: Religions * Abrahamic religions ** ...

, Iranian and Greek 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). Many, if not all, of them are believed to have derived from Proto-Indo-European religion. 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. 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 Martin E. Huld is an American linguist who is Professor Emeritus at California State University, Los Angeles. He specializes in Indo-European linguistics. Biography Huld received his B.A. (1972) at California State University, Los Angeles, an ...

and

Birgit Anette Olsen Birgit Anette Olsen (Rasmussen) (born April 2, 1952 in Denmark) is a Danish linguist, professor at the University of Copenhagen and leader of the Roots of Europe research center. She is an expert on Proto-Indo-European and Indo-European languages i ...

state that the word ''arew'' is cognate to the Indian name

Ravi Ravi may refer to: People * Ravi (name), including a list of people and characters with the name * Ravi (composer) (1926–2012), Indian music director * Ravi (Ivar Johansen) (born 1976), Norwegian musical artist * Ravi (music director) (1926–201 ...

, also meaning "sun". This etymological connection, argues H. Martirosyan, indicates an inherited

Armeno-Aryan Graeco-Aryan, or Graeco-Armeno-Aryan, is a hypothetical clade within the Indo-European family that would be the ancestor of Greek, Armenian, and the Indo-Iranian languages. The Graeco-Armeno-Aryan group supposedly branched off from the parent ...

poetical expression. * Astłik, cognate to the Mesopotamian goddess

Inanna Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an List of Mesopotamian deities, ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, Divine law, divine justice, and political p ...

, identified with Venus. A fertility goddess and consort of Vahagn, sharing a temple with him in the city of Ashtishat. The holiday of

Vardavar Vardavar or Vartavar ( hy, Վարդավառ, Homshetsi: ''Vartevor'' or ''Behur'')) is an Armenian festival in Armenia where people drench each other with water. Origin Vardavar's history dates back to pagan times. The ancient festival is trad ...

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 and Latin records, likely located near modern Eğil. Comparable with

Nergal Nergal ( Sumerian: d''KIŠ.UNU'' or ; ; Aramaic: ܢܸܪܓܲܠ; la, Nirgal) was a Mesopotamian god worshiped through all periods of Mesopotamian history, from Early Dynastic to Neo-Babylonian times, with a few attestations under indicating hi ...

and

Hades Hades (; grc-gre, ᾍδης, Háidēs; ), in the ancient Greek religion and myth, is the god of the dead and the king of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea, although this also ...

. *

Tork Angegh Tork Angegh ( hy, Տորք Անգեղ, Torkʻ Angeġ) is a deity of strength, courage, manufacturing and the arts in Armenian mythology. A creature of unnatural strength and power, Tork was considered one of Hayk's great-grandsons and reportedly r ...

- "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. *Amanor - "The bearer of new fruits" (the god of the new year,

Navasard Navasard is the first month of the Armenian calendar. Navasard has 30 days, starting on 11 August and ending on 9 September. In Ancient Armenia, the first day of Navasard was a holiday. In Armenian mythology, the Navasardian god was considered prote ...

). May or may not have been the same god as Vanatur. *Vanatur - Either meaning "the Lord of

Van A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people. Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and bigger than a common car. There is some varying in the scope of the word across th ...

" 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 and Zeus. *Nvard (

Classical Armenian Classical Armenian (, in Eastern Armenian pronunciation: Grabar, Western Armenian: Krapar; meaning "literary anguage; also Old Armenian or Liturgical Armenian) is the oldest attested form of the Armenian language. It was first written down at ...

: 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 Arwa Damon (born September 19, 1977) is an American journalist who is a senior international correspondent for CNN International, CNN, based in Istanbul. From 2003, she covered the Middle East as a freelance journalist, before joining CNN in 20 ...

. *Andndayin ōj, "the Abyssal Serpent" that lived in the black waters surrounding the

world tree The world tree is a motif present in several religions and mythologies, particularly Indo-European religions, Siberian religions, and Native American religions. The world tree is represented as a colossal tree which supports the heavens, thereb ...

Hayasan

While the exact relationship between the Bronze Age kingdom of Hayasa-Azzi 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

. 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 Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an List of Mesopotamian deities, ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, Divine law, divine justice, and political p ...

- 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 Asherah (; he, אֲשֵׁרָה, translit=Ăšērā; uga, 𐎀𐎘𐎗𐎚, translit=ʾAṯiratu; akk, 𒀀𒅆𒋥, translit=Aširat; Qatabanian: ') in ancient Semitic religion, is a fertility goddess who appears in a number of ancient so ...

. *Terittitunnis - Possibly an early form of Vahagn. Perhaps related to Greek

Triton Triton commonly refers to: * Triton (mythology), a Greek god * Triton (moon), a satellite of Neptune Triton may also refer to: Biology * Triton cockatoo, a parrot * Triton (gastropod), a group of sea snails * ''Triton'', a synonym of ''Triturus' ...

.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 The West Semitic languages are a proposed major sub-grouping of ancient Semitic languages. The term was first coined in 1883 by Fritz Hommel.Astarte), 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 The suffix -stan ( fa, ـستان, translit=''stân'' after a vowel; ''estân'' or ''istân'' after a consonant), has the meaning of "a place abounding in" or "a place where anything abounds" in the Persian language. It appears in the names of ...

(''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 Armenian Christianity. May have been a form of the

Subarian The land of Subartu (Akkadian ''Šubartum/Subartum/ina Šú-ba-ri'', Assyrian '' mât Šubarri'') or Subar (Sumerian Su-bir4/Subar/Šubur, Ugaritic 𐎘𐎁𐎗 ṯbr) is mentioned in Bronze Age literature. The name also appears as ''Subari'' in ...

god Astuvanu (Astupinu), who is equated with Sumerian

Urartian

The gods of the Urartian pantheon were mostly borrowed from Hittite and Luwian, Hurrian,

, and possibly Armenian and Indo-Iranian religions. * Ḫaldi or Khaldi - The chief god of Urartu. An

Akkadian Akkadian or Accadian may refer to: * Akkadians, inhabitants of the Akkadian Empire * Akkadian language, an extinct Eastern Semitic language * Akkadian literature, literature in this language * Akkadian cuneiform Cuneiform is a logo- syllabi ...

deity (with a possible Armenian or

Greco-Armenian Graeco-Armenian (or Helleno-Armenian) is the hypothetical common ancestor of Greek and Armenian that postdates Proto-Indo-European. Its status is somewhat similar to that of the Italo-Celtic grouping: each is widely considered plausible without be ...

name—compare to

Helios In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Helios (; grc, , , Sun; Homeric Greek: ) is the deity, god and personification of the Sun (Solar deity). His name is also Latinized as Helius, and he is often given the epithets Hyper ...

) not introduced into the Urartian pantheon until the reign of

Ishpuini Ishpuini (also Ishpuinis) () was king of Urartu. He succeeded his father, Sarduri I, who moved the capital to Tushpa (Van). Ishpuini conquered the Mannaean city of Musasir, which was then made the religious center of the empire. The main temple ...

. Formed a triad with his sons Artinis and Teisheba. Equated with Baal and Mitra/Mihr. Sometimes also connected to Hayk. *

Arubani Arubani is the Urartian's goddess of fertility and art. She was also the wife of their supreme god, Khaldi. Sources * Piotrovsky, Boris B. (1969) The Ancient Civilization of Urartu: An Archaeological Adventure. Cowles Book Co. Tacentral.com ...

- 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. * Shivini 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 ''Deus'' (, ) is the Latin word for "god" or "deity". Latin ''deus'' and ''dīvus'' ("divine") are in turn descended from Proto-Indo-European *'' deiwos'', "celestial" or "shining", from the same root as '' *Dyēus'', the reconstructed chief g ...

, etc.). Artinis is the Armenian form, literally meaning "sun god" and is possibly connected to Ara. *

Selardi Selardi (Sielardi or possibly Melardi) is a lunar deity of Urartu. Until recently, it was generally believed that this deity was female, although some contemporary scholars disagree with this. Selardi was believed to be the counterpart to the Bab ...

(or Melardi) - Moon god or goddess. Possibly the sister of Artinis (from Armenian ''siela'' 'sister'; ''ardi'' 'sun god'). *Saris - Probably a corruption of Ishtar. *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 The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire (; peo, 𐎧𐏁𐏂, , ), also called the First Persian Empire, was an ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. Based in Western Asia, it was contemporarily the largest em ...

, 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 - Cognate of the Iranian

(or Ormazd), possibly mixed with Ara or Aram. Head of the pantheon, identified with Zeus in the '' interpretatio graeca'', 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 Baalshamin ( arc, ܒܥܠ ܫܡܝܢ ''Baʿal Šāmīn'' or ''Bʿel Šmīn'' Blit. "Lord of Heaven ), also called Baal Shamem ( phn, 𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤔𐤌𐤌 ''Baʿl Šāmēm'') and Baal Shamaim ( he, ''Baʿal Šāmayīm''), was a Northwest Semit ...

were absorbed by Aramazd. * Anadatus - The Armenian form of the Zoroastrian

Amesha Spenta In Zoroastrianism, the Amesha Spenta ( ae, , Aməša Spəṇta—literally "Immortal (which is) holy/bounteous/furthering") are a class of seven divine entities emanating from Ahura Mazda, the highest divinity of the religion. Later Middle Persian ...

'' Ameretat''. *

- Cognate of the Iranian Anahita. Probably originally related to

Sumer Sumer () is the earliest known civilization in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (south-central Iraq), emerging during the Chalcolithic and early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. It is one of the cradles of c ...

ian

and

Babylonia Babylonia (; Akkadian: , ''māt Akkadī'') was an ancient Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Syria). It emerged as an Amorite-ruled state c. ...

n 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 and Aphrodite. Temples dedicated to Anahit were established in Ani-Kammakh, Armavir,

Artashat Artashat ( hy, Արտաշատ); Hellenized as Artaxata ( el, Ἀρτάξατα) and Artaxiasata ( grc, Ἀρταξιάσατα), was a large commercial city and the capital of ancient Armenia during the reign of king Artaxias I; the founder of t ...

, Ashtishat. Ani is likely a derivation or alternate form of Anahit. * Mihr - Cognate with the Iranian Mithra. God of the sun and light, son of Aramazd, the brother of

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. Mihr was identified with Hephaestus 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''. * Spandaramet - Cognate of the Iranian Spenta Armaiti,"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. Identified with the Greek Apollo. Tir's role as psychopomp may have been absorbed from the Luwian thunder god ''Tarhunda'', whose name had been used to translate that of the Mesopotamian underworld god

. Tir's temple was located near

. * Vahagn - A "k'aj" (brave). Etymologically derived from Iranian

Verethragna Verethragna ( ae, 𐬬𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬖𐬥𐬀‎ ') is an Indo-Iranian deity. The neuter noun ''verethragna'' is related to Avestan ''verethra'', 'obstacle' and ''verethragnan'', 'victorious'. Representing this concept is the divin ...

(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/

Teisheba ''Theispas'' (also known as Teisheba or Teišeba) of Kumenu was the Araratian (Urartian) weather-god, notably the god of storms and thunder. He was also sometimes the god of war. He is the son of Habli. He formed part of a triad along with Kh ...

. Christian folklore absorbed Vahagn's role as a storm or weather god into the archangel Gabriel. Derik housed the central temple to Vahagn.

Post-Alexandrian influences

Barsamin Barsamin (Բարսամին, Barshamin Բարշամին) was a weather or sky god among the pre-Christian Armenians. He is probably derived from the Semitic god Baal Shamin Baalshamin ( arc, ܒܥܠ ܫܡܝܢ ''Baʿal Šāmīn'' or ''Bʿel Šmīn'' ...

- God of sky and weather, derived from the Semitic god

. * 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."Armenian Mythology"
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

, both of their temples located near each other in Gavar.

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 Aralez ( hy, Արալեզ) is a village in the Vedi Municipality of the Ararat Province of Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr ...

- 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 - The Dev are air-composed spirit creatures originating from

Zoroastrian mythology Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religions, Iranian religion and one of the world's History of religion, oldest organized faiths, based on the teachings of the Iranian peoples, Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. It has a Dualism in cosmology, du ...

(the Daevas), 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, 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 - 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 and Hittite Illuyanka.

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 Ara the Handsome ( hy, Արա Գեղեցիկ ''Ara Gełec‘ik'') is a semi-legendary Armenian hero and king. Ara is notable in Armenian literature for the popular legend in which he was so handsome that the Assyrian queen Semiramis waged war agai ...

, son of Aram. A handsome warrior slain in a war against Semiramis, 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

, 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. *

Hayk Hayk ( hy, Հայկ, ), also known as Hayk Nahapet (, , ), is the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation. His story is told in the '' History of Armenia'' attributed to the Armenian historian Moses of Chorene (Movses Khorenatsi ...

, legendary forefather of the Armenians, who led a successful rebellion against a Babylonian king named

Bel BEL can be an abbreviation for: * The ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code for Belgium * ''BEL'' or bell character in the C0 control code set * Belarusian language, in the ISO 639-2 and SIL country code lists * Bharat Electronics Limited, an Indian stat ...

."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,

Mitra ''Mitra'' ( Proto-Indo-Iranian: ''*mitrás'') is the name of an Indo-Iranian divinity from which the names and some characteristics of Rigvedic Mitrá and Avestan Mithra derive. The names (and occasionally also some characteristics) of these t ...

, 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 Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5– ...

and the king of

Shinar Shinar (; Hebrew , Septuagint ) is the name for the southern region of Mesopotamia used by the Hebrew Bible. Etymology Hebrew שנער ''Šinʿar'' is equivalent to the Egyptian ''Sngr'' and Hittite ''Šanḫar(a)'', all referring to southern M ...

, 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, 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, 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 (

: ''Eruaz'' and ''Eruand''), mythical twins born from a woman of the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia, distinguished by enormous features and over-sensitivity.

Formation of Armenian mythology

Pantheon

Early Armenian

Hayasan

Urartian

Iranian influence

Post-Alexandrian influences

Monsters and spirits

Heroes and legendary monarchs

Bibliography

See also

Footnotes

References