Paganism represents a fascinating and relatively underexplored period in the history of Armenia. Armenian paganism, a polytheistic religion closely intertwined with Armenian mythology, dominated the region until the adoption of Christianity in Greater Armenia in 301 AD.
In the northwestern region of Shirak marz, near the village of Oghmik, an archaeological expedition led by Professor Hayk Hakobyan from the Department of Archaeology at Yerevan State University uncovered a unique pagan temple complex. Research into this area is exceptionally significant for understanding the ancient spiritual life of Armenia.
Excavations of the pagan complex began in 1987, revealing a stone platform 2 meters wide and 13 meters long, covered with ceramic shards. “This turned out to be the central part of a large temple complex,” said Professor Hakobyan. “Unfortunately, the research was interrupted by the Spitak earthquake of 1988. It was only resumed thanks to Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, who allocated the necessary funds from his foundation.”
For a long time, discussions about ancient temples in Armenia primarily focused on the pagan temple in Garni, an example of the Greco-Roman style. “Some historians of the early Armenian Middle Ages, such as Agatangegos and Khorenatsi, have covered the topic of pagan temples very sparingly,” continues Hakobyan. “However, there are thousands of them on the territory of historical Armenia. With the adoption of Christianity, crosses were placed on some of these temples, transforming them into early Christian places of worship.”
Contrary to the long-held belief that pagan temples in Armenia were destroyed, numerous archaeological excavations since the 1950s have shown that such temples remained. Besides Garni, ruins of buildings in Erebuni, Oshakan, and Shirak have also been preserved.
During the first stage of excavations, the expedition discovered numerous temple structures, including columned halls dedicated to the triad of gods of pagan Armenia: Aramazd (the supreme god in the ancient Armenian pantheon, creator of heaven and earth, god of fertility, and father of the gods), Anahit (goddess of fertility and love), and Mira (god of the sun and heavenly light). They also found 20 types of sacrificial altars, rooms containing remains of sacrificed animals, figurines, stones with symbols carved on them, and various tools like blades and axes for cutting animal limbs, as well as clay vials for weighing medicines.
Based on the results of the excavations, the ancient settlement functioned from the 2nd century BC to the early 4th century AD when Christianity was adopted as the state religion in Armenia. Oghmik flourished in the 1st century BC, during the reign of Tigran the Great.
The second stage of the research revealed even more intriguing and mysterious findings. Sixty meters west of the main complex, platforms, tables, and altars for sacrifice, idols, and clay figures were discovered, all in the open air. “Here we saw a huge number of bones of sacrificial animals – skulls of bulls, sheep, goats, beavers, and horses,” says Hakobyan. “We also found ten human skulls, including children’s. Apparently, these people were beheaded after death, and sick children were killed. This may seem blasphemous to modern individuals, but ancient people acted differently.”
According to Hakobyan, the excavations will certainly continue. Armenian paganism, a polytheistic religion closely connected with Armenian mythology, was dominant until the adoption of Christianity in Greater Armenia in 301 AD. The pantheon of Armenian gods inherited and retained the main elements of the paganism of the Proto-Indo-European tribes that inhabited the Armenian Highlands.
The discovery of the pagan temple complex in Oghmik offers invaluable insights into the ancient spiritual life of Armenia. As research progresses, it promises to shed more light on this intriguing and lesser-known period of Armenian history.
Artatsolum
Based on the article by Tigran Mirzoyan
