The Dawn of Rock Art
The creation of rock art in Armenia dates back to the Neolithic period, reaching its zenith during the Bronze Age. These ancient carvings, etched into the rugged landscapes of the Armenian Highlands, offer a glimpse into the lives and cultures of the people who inhabited this region between the 7th and 1st millennia BC.
The Cognitive Value of Rock Art
In 2015, K.S. Tokhatyan, a researcher at the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, published an article on Armenian rock art, translated by G.D. Vardumyan. Tokhatyan emphasized the cognitive value of these carvings, highlighting their role as cultural artifacts that reflect the historical realities of ancient Armenians.
Rock art serves as a form of communication, recording, storing, and transmitting information. These carvings help us understand the origins and demographic processes of the Armenian people, providing a tangible link to their past.
Highland Sanctuaries and Petroglyphs
The most significant collections of ancient petroglyphs are found at altitudes of around 3,300 meters above sea level. However, these carvings are also present in the foothills and valleys. In ancient Armenia, vast galleries and mountain sanctuaries were created, featuring tens of thousands of drawings.
Nearby, researchers have discovered dragon stones (vishapakar), open-air summer areas, caves, cromlechs, and other monuments. These findings indicate that petroglyphs were not isolated phenomena but integral parts of a broader historical and cultural environment shaped by active human activity.
Themes and Motifs in Armenian Rock Art
Armenian rock paintings can be categorized into various thematic groups:
- Static Elements of the Environment: Mountains, volcanoes, rivers, lakes, springs
- Natural Phenomena: Lightning, clouds, rain, rainbow
- Heavenly Bodies: Sun, moon, stars, constellations
- Terrestrial and Rare Celestial Phenomena: Eclipses, meteors, comets
- Flora and Fauna: Bezoar, mouflon, deer, gazelles, horses, bulls, goats, bison, wild boars, bears, leopards, cheetahs, lions, wolves, dogs, foxes, snakes, birds
- Human Activities: Hunting, wrestling, agriculture, domestication of animals, farming, plowing
- Ceremonial Life and Rituals: Worship of motherhood, ancestors, deities, heroes, twins, fertility, time
- Sports and Competition
- Playing Games and Dancing
- Weapons and Tools: Bows, arrows, quivers, shields, spears, maces, clubs, hooks, lassos, plows, nets, ladders
- Vehicles and Transport: Carts, chariots, boats, skis, sleds
- Scientific Thought: Sky maps, calendars, compasses, irrigation systems
- Building Plans: Villages, shelters
Unique Characteristics of Armenian Petroglyphs
According to Tokhatyan, Armenian petroglyphs are distinct in several ways. They often feature patterns and symbols, including signs resembling letters from the Armenian and other ancient alphabets. Some of these signs are nearly identical in form and meaning to those used in medieval Armenian ideograms.
Tokhatyan also notes that certain thematic elements, such as star maps, letter signs, and dragons, are either absent or rarely found in other parts of the world. Additionally, Armenian petroglyphs lack sharp scenes, possibly due to a cultural taboo against depicting such images.
In summary, the ancient rock art of Armenia offers invaluable insights into the lives, beliefs, and activities of its early inhabitants. These carvings, etched into the highland landscapes, continue to captivate and inform us about a rich and complex cultural heritage.
Keywords: Armenian rock art, petroglyphs, Neolithic, Bronze Age, cultural heritage
Artatsolum
Based on the article by Hovik Torkomyan, B Komn Founder of the History of “Armenia Rock Carvings of Armenia”
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