Emma Petrosyan - Semantics of the women’s bronze belt of the Kingdom of Urartu (in Russ.)

18 Pages | 213-231 | DOI: Doi:10.54503/0135-0536-2023.2-213 |

Revceived on: 2022-02-21 | Reviewed on: 2023-02-16 | Accepted for printing on: 2023-06-19

Published in: 2023 N 2 (223) / Archaeology

Women's bronze belts are important sources for the study of Urartu culture. We observed the iconography of a woman’s belt No. 4, published by archaeologist Irit Ziffer, dating back to the VIII century BC, and compared the images with the rituals of Armenians as the heirs of the culture. The procession of maid-priestesses is depicted on the belt. A woman (probably a queen/goddess) is sitting in front of the sacrifice table with the crescent shaped ritual bread symbolizing the sun. It should be noted that Armenians also baked ritual bread, for example, “tari hats”.

Keywords celebration dance musical instruments acrobat goddess maid-priestesses ritual bread wine sacrifice.

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Garegin Tumanyan - The current state and perspectives of investigation of Cimmerian culture in the Armenian Highland

13 Pages | 210-223 | DOI: Doi:10.54503/0135-0536-2022.1-206 |

Revceived on: 2021-11-30 | Reviewed on: 2022-01-11 | Accepted for printing on: 2022-01-18

Published in: 2022 N 1 (219) / Articles, reports

Abstract / Keywords

Cimmerians are the first historical people of Eastern Europe. The term “Cimmerian culture” is known in archaeology since the beginning of the last century. The problem of the differentation of Cimmerian and Scythian archaological complexes is very important, which has not yet found a cardinal solution, particularly – in the Western Asian region. The discussed problem was not explored in Armenian archaeology at all. Through archaeological investigation of the manifestations of Cimmerian culture in the Armenian Highland, fundamentals can be established for defining the place of Cimmerian culture among concurrent archaeological cultures of the mentioned region.

Keywordsnew approach attributes Cimmerian culture funerary complexes burial groups funerary ritual tribal groups warrior riders weaponry horse tack.

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Tamar Hayrapetyan - Food culture in Armenian oral tradition (daily, feast and ritual, and mythological levels)

24 Pages | 216-240 | DOI: Doi:10.54503/0135-0536-2022.2-216 |

Revceived on: 2021-11-10 | Reviewed on: 2021-11-18 | Accepted for printing on: 2022-04-08

Published in: 2022 N 2 (220) / Ethnography

Abstract / Keywords

The food system is one of life essentials, where the key features of popular worldview and lifestyle of people are relatively evident. Traditional cultural manifestations of having or refusing meals are interrelated with life style of an individual, with a subsequent procedure, type of food, rules of conduct typical of festive meal. These rules are of universal nature and are represented in folklore (sometimes implicitely hidden), and often appear in mythological plots.

Keywords food food culture feast ritual holiday myth folklore.

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Hasmik Abrahamyan - “Atsik” food in the Armenian festive and ritual system (According to the materials recorded in Syunik)

15 Pages | 241-256 | DOI: Doi:10.54503/0135-0536-2022.2-241 |

Revceived on: 2022-03-02 | Reviewed on: 2022-03-09 | Accepted for printing on: 2022-06-14

Published in: 2022 N 2 (220) / Ethnography

Abstract / Keywords

Food is an essential part of the culture of the national feasts. In this context, it is a sacrifice (cereals, meat, dairy products), the purpose of which is to express gratitude for a high harvest and protection from natural disasters (drought, rain, etc.). Atsik (malt) in the scientific literature is mentioned as food symbolizing the arrival of spring and is prepared during Lent or on the eve of Easter.

Keywords аtsik Lent Easter festive ritual culture Syunik food grain wheat rain St. Sargis matagh (sacrifice).

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Lusine Sahakyan - Some observations on the relationship of Komitas Vardapet with the Armenian Apostolic Church

12 Pages | 121-133 | DOI: Doi.10.52853/01350536-2021.3-121 |

Revceived on: 2021-08-25 | Reviewed on: 2021-09-08 | Accepted for printing on: 2021-10-17

Published in: 2021 N 3 (218) / Articles, reports

Abstract / Keywords

Komitas Vardapet’s relationship with the Armenian Apostolic Church has not been studied in depth to this day. During the Soviet era, the attitude towards Komitas was unilateral as he was a member of Etchmiadzin Congregation. Modern studies on Komitas present a new approach to this issue of Komitas’s biography. The present article is another attempt to look at the relationship of Komitas with the Church in a new light, with new perspectives. In the article, Komitas’s relationship with the Armenian Apostolic Church is examined in two directions:․

KeywordsKomitas Vardapet Holy Etchmiadzin Armenian Apostolic Church spiritual heritage music culture.

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Ashot Manucharyan - Episcopal Diocese of Arsharunik (the 4th–the 9th cc.)

15 Pages | 187-202 |

Revceived on: 2021-05-14 | Reviewed on: 2021-05-31 | Accepted for printing on: 2021-06-23

Published in: 2021 N 3 (218) / Articles, reports

Abstract / Keywords

The Diocese of Arsharunik is one of the oldest dioceses in Armenia, formed by St. Gregory the Illuminator in the second diocesan department. In the middle of the 4th century, during the reign of Catholicos St. Nerses the Great, it was annexed to the bishopric of Bagrevand. It became the main episcopate of the country when Catholicos St. Sahak Partev returning from Persia in 432 AD, settled in the province of Bagrevand. The famous bishops of Bagrevand during this period were the 5th century philosopher Yeznik Koghbatsi and the patriarch of the Armenian historiography Movses Khorenatsi.

Keywordsbishopric Catholicos throne spiritual center diocese inscription cathedral commemorative inscription historiographic theological.

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Astghik Israelian - Sacred trees in Armenian folk beliefs

24 Pages | 170-194 | DOI: Doi:10.54503/0135-0536-2025.1-170 |

Revceived on: 2024-10-22 | Reviewed on: 2024-11-01 | Accepted for printing on: 2025-03-27

Published in: 2025 N 1 (228) / Ethnography

Abstract / Keywords

Sacred trees had different meanings and therefore different purposes. It was important not only to preserve them in reality but also to ensure their existence and growth by supernatural means. Trees were thought to have magical properties: people made pilgrimages, offered sacrifices, made offerings, prayed for healing, for having descendants, and begged for help and protection from harmful natural phenomena, and so on, through various rituals. Supernatural power was attributed to the objects made of wood of sacred trees and even to the pieces of those trees, which protected people from all evil and brought success acting as amulets.

Keywordssacred trees pilgrimage prohibition healing fortune telling feast ritual symbol images.

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Tamar Hayrapetyan - Reflection of the initiation ceremony in one group of Armenian and Italian fairy tales

16 Pages | 157-173 | DOI: Doi:10.54503/0135-0536-2025.2-157 |

Revceived on: 2025-02-10 | Reviewed on: 2025-02-13 | Accepted for printing on: 2025-07-11

Published in: 2025 N 2 (229) / Folklore studies

Abstract / Keywords

A comparative analysis of the Armenian “Three eggs” and Italian “Three oranges” fairy tales corresponding to number 408 of the international clas¬sifi-cation of “Types of folk tales” by the German philologist Hans-Jorg Utter, shows that the transition from one age group to another had different manifestations and symbolic codes in the folklore of different peoples, but they all considered the rite of passage into premarital maturity to be the most important, since not everyone managed to overcome it.

Keywords initiation ritual group of Armenian and Italian fairy tales Hans-Jörg Uther archaic thinking orange egg fairy tale symbol plot myth.

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Gohar Vardumyan , Karen Tokhatyan - The petroglyphs of Armenia and their environment as a sacred area (in Eng.)

20 Pages | 226-246 | DOI: Doi:10.54503/0135-0536-2025.2-226 |

Revceived on: 2025-05-13 | Reviewed on: 2025-05-07 | Accepted for printing on: 2025-07-11

Published in: 2025 N 2 (229) / Cultural studies

Abstract / Keywords

In ancient Armenia there were various types of sanctuaries and sacred places. They served the purpose of worship and its various manifestations, in which the ritual, its traditions and customs were significant and important. In archaic times the petroglyph environment was also a unique sacred area. The votive elements, in various forms of expressions, are present in many scenes and compositions.

KeywordsArmenia rock carving cult worship mythology world creation magic ritual imaginary creature cosmological ideas patriarch Hayk dragon-vishap symbol.

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Garegin Tumanyan - Protecting the Head of the Deceased by Apotropaic Means (Gleanings from Preհistoric Period) (in Eng.)

16 Pages | 212-228 | DOI: 10.54503/0135-0536-2026.1-212 |

Revceived on: 2025-12-18 | Reviewed on: 2025-12-20 | Accepted for printing on: 2026-03-20

Published in: 2026 N 1(231) / Archaeology and Ethnography

Abstract / Keywords

Since the Paleolithic, all the rituals comprising funerary rite were aimed at a single purpose – overcoming the death. The head of deceased was viewed as a valid replacement of the whole being. It was perceived as a container, where the vital energy was concentrated. Therefore, the head needed protection, which was provided by placing near the head ritual items made of flint, obsidian or metal, modelling the head in plaster, placing the head in a clay vessel or on a stone, etc.

Keywordssepulchre the head of the deceased human ritual items funerary rite apotropaic metallic items.

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