Armenian cave temples are part of the country’s early Christian history. They appeared in the caves where the first preachers of Christianity had found dwelling and where the first Christian communities had been located. The study of this piece of Armenian heritage is now difficult since most of these cave temples are now in Turkey. …
The 5000-year-old churn kept in the Amasi Archaeological Museum of Western Armenia sheds light on the creation of matsun, an Armenian fermented milk product. This is proof that our ancestors have made matsun in the Armenian Highlands 5000 years ago. The churn made 5000 years ago in the Bronze Age has a length of 30 …
The sixth series of “The Voice of Ararat” program produced by “Free Voice Media” is dedicated to the ancient structure of Portasar. Located about 100 km from the ancient city of Urfa, Portasar is the oldest known complex on the Armenian Highlands. This complex is aged 10-12,000 years, and it may be even older. With …
“The peak of the greatness of Armenian history, no doubt, is considered the period of the reign of Tigran the Great. Parthia even in a terrible dream could not imagine that it, the most powerful empire of Asia Minor, would suddenly become part of the Mets Hayk empire. Today, historians are wondering – how did …
Sakravor (Armenian: Սակրավոր, from the word sakura, that is, ax) was a soldier in the ancient Armenian army usually armed with an ax. Sakravors have also had shovels and some other tools. The sakravor squads paved roads, built bridges, cut down forests, set up military camps, trenches, and engaged in other forms of military engineering. …
Amaras Monastery (Armenian: Ամարասի վանք, Azerbaijani: Amaras monastırı) is a monastery of the early Middle Ages located in the southeastern areas of Artsakh. It has also been the residence of the Catholicos of the Albanian church. A major religious and cultural center of medieval Armenia, Amaras was subordinate to the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to …
The beginning of the 11th century was the peak of the glory of Byzantium of the era of the Macedonian dynasty. After the victorious campaigns of Emperor Basil II (reigned in 976-1025), the Eastern Roman Empire regained its sovereignty over a number of territories from the Armenian Mountains to the Italian Peninsula. But Basil was …
Amasya was located in Lesser Armenia on the peninsula of Asia Minor. In 281-183 BC, it has been the capital of the Greek Pontic kingdom. Subsequently, it would become part of the Roman and Byzantine empires as an administrative part of the Theme of the Armeniacs. In 1380, Amasya was captured by the Ottoman forces. …
Prehistoric settlement 30 kilometers from Yerevan, in the center of the fertile Ararat valley at the head of the Metsamor River, a five thousand years old settlement was found after years of archaeological excavations. But the most interesting findings were unearthed on the rocks surrounding the Metsamor settlement. One of them in about 200 meters …
Russian TV channel “Russia-Culture” has recently shown a documentary film titled “When the Gods ruled the earth: On the trail of mystery” telling about the unique discoveries of Armenian scientists ahead of world science. The story of the authors of the documentary begins with the discovery of a unique map of Mars with one satellite …
Yerevan, the current and latest capital of the Armenian Highlands, houses a number of ancient historical and cultural monuments. The historical events of modern Yerevan are crucial for filling the open pages of the history of Armenian culture. Here, we can observe various cultures created over millennia from the most ancient times to the present …
Zvartnots has been copied more than once. Temples like it have been built in many other parts of Armenia. In addition, a Byzantine Emperor has also expressed a desire to build a similar creation for himself, though it’s unclear whether he has done so. There are three Armenian fruits that occupy a central position in …
The postulate has become quite strong in Armenia that priestly and generally pre-Christian books have been lost completely and irrevocably. Of course, the struggle of Christianity and paganism was accompanied by the demolition of pagan temples and led to the fact that the last pagan krmapet (high priest), Arzan, actually declared war on Grigor Lusavorich …
Few people have ever wondered about how Armenians had lived in Babylon. And yet, their life and activity in Babylon had been quite remarkable. Armenians played a significant role in Babylon. The trade of Armenians with Babylon has been mentioned more than once by Greek authors. Herodotus described in detail how the Armenians on willow …
Palaces and fortresses, roads and temples, bridges and irrigation systems built thousands of years ago testify to the development of mathematical knowledge in ancient Armenia. There is no doubt that in the educational institutions of Armenia, mathematics and natural sciences have been taught from ancient times. In the 5th century, the simplest fractions were known …
This large map from Tabula Chorographica Armenica (Constantinople 1691), a luxurious guide for elite traders and scholars, demonstrates the expansion of the Armenian Church at the end of the 17th century. Almost eight hundred objects are illustrated on the map, including large Armenian church centers – the Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin, Gandzasar, Aghtamar, Cilicia, and the …
Abagar (from “Abagarus” in honor of the legendary King Augar Ukkama, King of Osroene) is a printed and engraved amulet and prayer book made for Bulgarians and Serbs in the 17th-18th centuries. Abagar contains prayers, apocryphal conspiracies, gospel readings, and the apocryphal message of King Avgar to Jesus Christ. Abagar could be mounted to walls …
“Recently, my wife and I were on a vacation in Arkhyz. Arkhyz is known throughout the world as an excellent ski resort. But we were interested not just in skiing – we wanted to see the ancient Christian temples of this beautiful place. We stayed in the Pavlova Polyana hotel in the village of Solyonoye. …