Armenian Mythology

Contents

La mythologie arménienne puise ses sources dans celle du royaume d’Urtatu qui s’étendait largement autour du lac de Van (Turquie actuelle), du lac Sevan (Arménie actuelle) et du lac d’Ourmia (Iran actuel).

Few mythographers have been interested in the mythology of the Armenian people. However, Professor Minas TCHERAZ, (1852 – 1929) taking up some studies by Jean-Baptiste FIMIN (Armenian paganism research) set out to reconstruct the beliefs of this people by interviewing Armenians from Turkey and Russia. In 1892 he published " Notes on Armenian Mythology"

So we find at the head of this pantheon Haldi Where Khaldi who is the husband ofUrabani, the goddess of fertility. He forms a triad with his sons:
Ardinis Where Shivini the sun god whose wife or daughter is Selardi, the moon goddess; and Teisheba Where Teispas the god of storms.

Cette mythologie a été influencée par le zoroastrisme venu de Perse lors de l’empire achéménide. Ainsi à la tête du panthéon on trouve Aramazd père des toutes les divinités et assimilé à Ahura Mazda

Puis après la conquête de l’empire perse par Alexandre le Grand l’Arménie subit l’influence grecque.

L’Arménie fut le premier royaume à devenir officiellement chrétien en 301 sous le règne de Tiridate IV qui fut converti par Saint Grégoire l’Illuminateur. Les anciens mythes et légendes furent transformés et les personnages bibliques héritèrent des fonctions des anciennes divinités. Par exemple, saint Jean-Baptiste prit certaines caractéristiques de Vahagn et de Tyr et l’archange Gabriel celles de Vahagn.

Armenian mythology (texts)

Urartu-Ararat

Bronze and Iron Age Pantheon

Glossary of Armenian Mythology

Mythes et légendes arméniens (Guerres Anciennes))

La Nature

Dieux, monstres et héros

La Geste des Rois

Les Guerres Perses

La Guerre de Taron

The epic of Sassoun

Mythes et Légendes Arméniennes (épopée de Sassoun Livre I)

Mythes et Légendes Arméniennes (épopée de Sassoun Livre II)

Mythes et Légendes Arméniennes (épopée de Sassoun Livre III Partie 1)

Mythes et Légendes Arméniennes (épopée de Sassoun Livre III Partie 2)

Mythes et Légendes Arméniennes (épopée de Sassoun Livre IV)

The Armenian epic "Les enrrages de Sassoun" tells the story of David de Sassoun, a reckless and independent young man who, by the grace of God, defends his country against evil in an unequal duel. The epic is part of the tradition of heroic folk tales that relate the history of a nation and portray its deepest aspirations and feelings. The epic is recited in a lyrical tone, with rhythmic articulation, with a separate body of songs in a rhymed poetic style.

It is told every year on the first Saturday in October (Day of the epic poem in some villages), during weddings, birthdays, baptisms and major national cultural events. The epic storyteller, dressed in the national costume, is usually seated and is accompanied by the duduk, a wooden wind instrument. There are no restrictions on gender, age or profession in the art of storytelling. Its transmission within the family is considered a vocation, especially in rural communities which have close links with popular culture. There are 160 variations. The storytelling sessions can last today up to two hours where the epic is told in several episodes.

It is commonly cited as one of the most important works of Armenian folklore, encyclopedia and repository of all knowledge relating to the heritage of the Armenian people, their religion, mythology, philosophy, cosmology, customs and ethics. .

The Tales of Thought

They were collected at the beginning of the 20^th century by Sahag MOVSISSIAN, said ” Think " in the Mush region of Turkey, where a large Armenian community lived.

Thought (1867-1939), philologist, pedagogue, was especially interested in the dialect of this region, which he faithfully transcribed, going from village to village. Each village had its storyteller, around whom the peasants gathered on winter evenings, and on the occasion of all festivals and weddings.

About a hundred of these tales were lost during the genocide of 1915.