Artsruni

Name

The name Artsruni contains the ending -uni, which is widespread in old Armenian family names. The early Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi derives the name from artsui'eagle' (արծուի, alt.artsiv). He implies that the Artsrunis carried standards with eagles on them and makes reference to a legend from Hadamakert (the center of the Artsrunis' home district of Aghbak) in which a bird protects a sleeping boy from the rain and sun; this is presumed to be a legend about the Artsrunis' ancestor (Sanasar, according to Manuk Abeghian) involving an eagle. James Russell notes that the eagle was a totemic animal for the Artsrunis and connects the dynasty's name with UrartianArṣibini⁠, which is attested as the name of an Urartian king's horse and may derive from Armenian artsui. On this basis, Russell suggests that the Artsrunis may have had Urartian ancestors.