Categories: Antiquities

Tir – God of Written Language of Ancient Armenia

In the Armenian pantheon, Tir was a god of writing, sciences, arts, a scribe of the chief deity Aramazd, and a diviner of fate.

Tir brought dreams to people, revealing their future to them. In the temple of Tir (between the cities of Vagharshapat and Artashat), the priests interpreted these dreams. Besides, they taught sciences and arts in the temple.

Apparently, Tir was also considered a guide of souls to the underworld. In the Hellenistic era, Tir was identified with Apollo.

King Artashes I (2nd century BC), having founded the city of Artashat, the future capital of Greater Armenia, moved the statue of Tir from the cult center in Bagaran to the newly-established city.

Most likely, the name of the fourth month of the ancient Armenian calendar, tre, is connected with the name Tir.

Vigen Avetisyan

Recent Posts

The Ughtasar Petroglyphs in the Heart of Yerevan: A Bronze Age Gallery in Tigran Mets Park

Tucked away in the greenery of the 2nd block of Yerevan's Nor Nork district, in…

2 days ago

Yerevan Is a Festival: From Aratta to Yerevan

Based on the Armenian-language essay "Երևանը տոն է. Արատտայից Երևան" ("Yerevan Is a Festival: From…

5 days ago

The Armenian Bronze Chariot: A Ritual Vehicle of the 14th Century BC

Among the most evocative artifacts to survive from the Armenian Highland's Late Bronze Age is…

1 week ago

Clowns of War: The Strange Battlefield Legacy of Medieval Armenian Theater

Long before "clown" became a synonym for children's birthday parties, the word described a hardened…

2 weeks ago

Dura-Europos and Ancient Armenia: A Crossroads of Priests, Inscriptions, and the Cult of Mithra

Introduction The fresco reproduced above — three white-robed priests, one wearing a tall conical hat,…

2 weeks ago