Speaking about Armenian holidays, where national costumes are traditionally present, one cannot fail to mention the musical heritage of this people. Their music is very melodious, because it has absorbed not only Middle Eastern motifs, but also taken something from the Mediterranean.
A striking example musical instruments can be considered an Armenian duduk, which many call unique, and those who hear it claim that it is heavenly music. It is impossible to move awkwardly to such fabulous motifs. Therefore, they are always distinguished by extreme harmony and internal aestheticism.
It does not go unnoticed, which, as historians have proven, is one of the oldest in the world. The gastronomic set of cooks always includes a lot of greens, meat, and dairy products. Sweets are widely known, often created only from sugar and flour, but with an indescribable taste.
Other Armenian dishes are no less unique, among which shashlik comes first. It is no coincidence that their restaurants are famous throughout the world for their delicious dishes.
What are modern Armenians like?
Armenians are an integral part of modern society. They can equally be attributed to both European and Eastern ethnic groups. Today, their number cannot be accurately calculated, however, according to statistics, there are up to 10 to 12 million representatives of this people in the world. They live in many countries, from Russia to Brazil and Australia. And everywhere they bring a touch of Armenian flavor, which is undoubtedly worthy of respect.
Even jokes about Armenians speak about the unusual mentality these people have. In numerous literary sources they appear to be a friendly, brave and cheerful people who can joke, dance, and defend their independence if necessary. And the old good neighborly relations with the Russians largely became the guarantee that their contribution to Russian and world culture did not go unnoticed.
So, among those who fought with the fascist aggressors in the Great Patriotic War, there were many Armenian heroes. This is Senior Lieutenant Sergei Burnazyan, Lieutenant Colonel Garnik Vartumyan, Marshal Soviet Union Ivan Bagramyan. These are just three names of those representatives of the Armenian people who became Heroes of the Soviet Union. And there were dozens of such people, and thousands more ordinary Armenians, along with Russians, Belarusians, and Georgians, fought for their common homeland.
There are no fewer of those that have become among the symbols of world culture and sports. Among the most famous Armenians we can name film director Sergei Parajanov, actors Dmitry Kharatyan and writer William Saroyan, football player, chess player, singer Bulat Okudzhava (the last names of both of the latter are on the maternal side). These and many other people contributed to the development of modern civilization.
They really gave a lot not only to those peoples next to whom they were historically forced to live, but also to the entire world community. Today they complement the community of Caucasian ethnic groups in a special way, preserving their originality and at the same time remaining a people, genetically intact. The Armenian diasporas existing all over the world only confirm this.
The Armenians are an ancient and distinctive people; their culture dates back several thousand years. Through the centuries they were able to carry their language and faith. National customs convey the originality of thinking, values and ideas about the world of this ethnic group. Let's talk about interesting traditions its culture and rituals.
Origin of the people
The Armenian ethnic group took shape at the turn of the first and second millennium BC on the territory of the Armenian Highland. The people were formed through the assimilation of several tribes: the Brigians, Urartians, Luwians, Hurrians, as well as a large number of small tribes. For centuries there has been a shift and selection of national distinctive features. By the 6th century BC, the formation of the ethnic group as a whole was completed. During this period, Armenians settled in the lands of Anatolia, the Middle East and Transcaucasia, and today the people live partially within their historical borders. These territories have always been an object of desire for invaders, so the Armenians had to learn to defend themselves, negotiate and adapt, while maintaining their identity. In the 4th century AD Armenian people accepted Christianity, and he will have to suffer more than once for his faith. The history of the Armenians is an endless series of oppressions, seizures, persecutions. But in all these sufferings, the traditions of the Armenian people united people and allowed them to preserve their uniqueness.
Armenian language
Scientists have conducted numerous studies of the Armenian language, trying to find its ancestors. However, all the research only allowed us to attribute the language to Indo-European group, in which he occupies a separate place. It was certainly influenced by the languages of neighboring peoples, but it has an ancient core that does not go back to any known language. As an independent adverb Armenian language formed already in the 6th century BC. It belongs to the group of ancient written languages, since since 406 AD it has had its own unique alphabet. It has undergone almost no changes since then. There are 39 letters in the alphabet; Except in all Indo-European languages, it has a special sound - a voiceless aspirate. Today the language is presented in eastern and western variants; it is spoken by about 6 million people around the world. The presence of writing made it possible to preserve and spread folk traditions Armenian people and bring them to modern representatives nation.
Religion
The Armenian Church is one of the oldest Christian communities. In the 1st century AD, the first Christian communities appeared. The people adopted this religion back in the 4th century. Dogmas and religious rituals have a number of distinctive features that distinguish this branch from both Catholicism and the Byzantine version of Christianity, although this variety is closer to Orthodoxy. In 301, the Armenian state recognized Christianity as the state religion, becoming the world's first Christian state. The culture and traditions of the Armenian people are determined by their ideas about the special mission of the nation, which preserves ancient version religion. For their faith, Armenians more than once had to pay with the lives of thousands of people. Religion has had a huge impact on all spheres of life of the people, and today the Armenian Apostolic Church is an important part Armenian national identity.
Traditional culture of Armenians
A culture that has preserved pagan origins and absorbed Christian traditions is distinguished by conservatism and stability. The main rituals developed at the beginning of the first millennium and have archaic roots. Festive rituals, culture of life, costume, architecture, art in Armenia have, on the one hand, unique features, on the other hand, they capture the numerous influences of neighbors and conquerors: Greeks, Arabs, Slavs, Turks, Romans. If we briefly describe the traditions of the Armenian people, they are very original. In Armenia today great importance have family values. The difficulties of survival of the ethnic group have led to the fact that Armenians value family ties very much and carry out most rituals at home, among friends and relatives. Long unique story people led to the fact that the Armenians developed a very unique art. For example, the symbol of the nation is khachkars - unusual stone crosses, the likes of which are not found in any culture in the world.
New Year celebration
Armenians have a confusing New Year situation. Historically, for many centuries, the beginning of the year in Armenia was celebrated on March 21, on the day spring equinox, which was due to ancient pagan cults. This holiday was called Amanor. Even though this day is not official start for more than 4 centuries, it is still a reason for a festive family feast. The country also celebrates the “second” New Year- Navasard. It also goes back to pagan traditions and has long history. Today it is celebrated as the date of the change of agricultural cycles: one ends, the other begins. But this holiday is not universal, since armenian church it is not recognized due to its pagan origin. On this day, it is customary to set the table with what the earth has given; The holiday is accompanied by fun, songs, and dances. The real New Year began to be celebrated on January 1 in the 18th century at the behest of Catholicos Simeon. This is put together ancient traditions and the influence of secular culture, including European. On this day, the whole family should gather at the table, which must have a lot of national food and wine, which accompanies many traditions of the Armenian people. Special dishes and gifts are prepared for children (photo attached to the article), and they are placed in New Year's stockings. Also, the head of the family gives gifts to all family members. He raises the first toast and invites everyone to try honey so that all the days of the New Year will be sweet. There must be ritual bread on the table - tari hats - with a baked coin. The one who gets it is declared “lucky of the year.”
Tsakhkazard
Many traditions of the Armenian people combine Christian and ancient ones. In the last week of Lent, a week before Easter, the spring holiday is celebrated - Tsaghkazard (analogous to our Palm Sunday). On this day, it is customary to decorate homes with willow and olive branches blessed in the church. On this day, Armenians go to church, where they put willow wreaths on their heads. The house is covered festive table with Lenten dishes. This day is associated with the beginning of spring. People give each other flowers, congratulating them on the awakening of nature.
Vardavar
If we list the interesting traditions of the Armenian people, it is worth remembering the Vardavar holiday, which is celebrated at the height of summer, 14 weeks after Easter. In fact, it resembles the famous Russian one. On this day, it is customary to pour water on each other, sing and have fun. Also on this day, people decorate themselves with roses and give flowers as a sign of love and affection. On this day it is customary to release doves into the sky. Vardavar has deep pagan roots, but the Armenian church found many similarities with the Bible in it, and therefore the holiday became nationwide.
Wedding ceremonies
Since family is of great value to Armenians and family ties, All major milestones The family is surrounded by special customs. So, national traditions The Armenian people can be seen in wedding ceremonies. An Armenian wedding amazes with its scale and hospitality. In small villages, literally all the people come to the wedding. The wedding ceremony begins with a conspiracy, during which the most respected members of the groom's family (men only) go to the bride's house asking for her hand in marriage. After the men have agreed among themselves, the bride can choose a dress, and relatives begin to prepare for the wedding. But the main ceremony is preceded by the engagement. The festive meal begins at the groom's house, where he and his relatives collect the prepared gifts and go to the bride's house. There, in a solemn atmosphere, he presents gifts to the bride’s parents and herself; the list of gifts must include Jewelry. Parents bless the newlyweds and set a wedding date, jokingly discussing the size of the dowry. The bride is always given a dowry of money, kitchen utensils, and household items.
The wedding feast begins with a church ceremony; instead of witnesses, “godparents” are chosen for the wedding. Usually these are respected relatives from the bride and groom's side. During a wedding there are many toasts. The first dance of the newlyweds is obligatory, during which they are showered with money and wishes for prosperity. Each stage of preparation for the wedding ceremony has its own established rituals: from dressing the bride and groom to the festive dinner menu. The wedding traditions of the Armenian people (photos of the couple can be seen below) today often lose their original identity, turning into typical European celebrations. But there are families who continue to observe the rituals, and therefore there is still an opportunity to see these beautiful and grandiose celebrations.
Birth of a child
Large large families- these are the primordial traditions of the Armenian people. Various holidays are organized for children, they are pampered and often given gifts. Therefore, the arrival of a new family member is always a huge event that turns into a great celebration. Karasunk - the ritual surrounding the birth of a child - covers a large period of time before and after the birth of the baby. Main actor- tatmem, something between a midwife and a priest. She helped deliver births and took part in washing the baby before baptism. 40 days after birth, the mother carried the baby herself to the temple for the first time. Before this, a large cleansing ritual was carried out, during which she was doused with water 40 times, she gave 40 bows, and jewelry was put on her. round shape, which she wore without taking off. Today the ritual has been simplified, but a big celebration is always held in the parents’ house, they are given money for christening and wish the baby health.
Funeral rites
The original traditions of the Armenian people regarding the burial of the dead, like all other customs, have two sources: paganism and Christianity. In general, the ritual differs little from similar ones in Christian practice. But there are specifics. So, before the deceased is taken out of the yard, the coffin is raised and lowered three times, the road before the funeral procession is strewn with carnations, in the cemetery women first say goodbye to the deceased, then they are taken aside, and the oldest man in the family says farewell words. At a wake, there is always a ritual dish - khashlama; trays of food are also brought to the cemetery.
Traditional costume culture
In any culture, a costume is a reflection of the philosophy and characteristics of the people. The traditions of the Armenian people are manifested in their national clothing, which has retained its features since ancient times. Men had several types of clothing: for Everyday life, smart and for war. The costume consists of an undershirt and a caftan - arkhalukha. It can be knee-length or mid-thigh length. A scarf was tied at the top of the waist. Pants could be wide or narrow. The structure of the women's costume is the same, but is divided only into home and festive. The women's caftan was always intricately decorated, and the skirt was always of maximum length. The woman's head was covered with a scarf and a cap resembling a “tablet”.
In world history, civilizations have changed, entire peoples and languages have appeared and disappeared without a trace. Most modern nations and nationalities were formed after the first millennium AD. However, along with the Persians, Jews, and Greeks, there is still another ancient original people, whose representatives witnessed the construction Egyptian pyramids, the birth of Christianity and many other legendary events of ancient times. Armenians - what are they like? How are they different from their neighbors? Caucasian peoples and what is their contribution to world history and culture?
The appearance of the Armenians
Like any people whose origins go back far into the past, the history of the appearance of the Armenians is closely intertwined with myths and legends, and sometimes it is the oral tales transmitted over thousands of years that provide clearer and clearer answers than numerous scientific hypotheses.
According to folk legends, the founder Armenian statehood and actually the entire Armenian people is ancient king Ike. In the distant third millennium BC, he and his army came to the shores of Lake Van. August 11, 2107 BC e. A battle took place between the ancestors of modern Armenians and the troops of the Sumerian king Utuhengal, in which Hayk won. This day is considered starting point countdown of the national calendar and is a national holiday.
The name of the king gave the name to the people (the self-name of the Armenians is hai).
Historians prefer to operate with more boring and vague arguments, in which much remains unclear about the origin of such a people as the Armenians. What race they are is also a subject of debate among different researchers.
The fact is that in the highlands in the first millennium BC. e. there was a state with highly developed civilization- Urartu. Representatives of this Khurarti people mixed with the local population, gradually adopted the language, and such a nation as the Armenians was formed. What they have become over two millennia, what they had to face is a separate drama.
History of the struggle for identity
Every nation in its history is faced with foreign invasion, with attempts to change the very essence of the nation. The whole history of the Armenians is a struggle against numerous invaders. Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks - they all left their mark on the history of the Armenians. However ancient people with its own writing, language and stable tribal ties, it was not so easy to assimilate and dissolve among foreign-language settlers. All this was resisted by what they had and what their neighbors had - these issues also became a subject of friction.
In response to this, measures were repeatedly taken to forcibly evict this people to the territory of Iran and Turkey, and genocide was carried out. The result of this was the massive migration of Armenians around the world, which is why the national diasporas are very large and one of the most united communities in the whole world.
In the 18th century, for example, Caucasians were resettled to the banks of the Don, where the city of Nakhichevan-on-Don was founded. Hence a large number of Armenians in southern Russia.
Religion
Unlike many other nations, it is possible to accurately determine in what year the Armenians adopted Christianity. The national church is one of the oldest in the world and gained independence a very long time ago. Folk legend clearly gives the names of the first preachers of the young faith at that time - Thaddeus and Bartholomew. In 301, King Trdat III finally decided on Christianity as the state religion.
Many people are often lost in answer to the question of what faith the Armenians have. Which movement should they belong to - Catholics, Orthodox? In fact, back in the middle of the fourth century AD, a decision was made to independently elect clergy and primates. Soon the Armenian Apostolic Church finally separated from the Byzantine Church and became completely autonomous.
451 identified the basic dogmas of the local church, which in individual issues differed significantly from the norms of neighboring Eastern Orthodox churches.
Language
Language determines the age of a people and distinguishes it from other ethnic groups. The Armenian language began its formation in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. on the territory of Urartu. The newcomer Khurarti conquerors assimilated with the local population and adopted their dialect as a base. Armenian is considered one of the most ancient languages of the Indo-European family. Exactly at Indo-European family includes languages of almost all nations modern Europe, India, Iran.
Some researchers even put forward a bold hypothesis that it was the ancient Armenian dialect that became the Indo-European language, from which modern English, French, Russian, Persian and other languages of a significant part of today's population of the globe subsequently emerged.
Writing
The first rudiments of our own alphabet appeared even before the beginning of our era. The priests of Armenian temples invented their own secret writing, on which they created their sacred books. However, after the establishment of Christianity, everything written monuments were destroyed as pagans. Christianity also played a major role in the emergence of the national alphabet.
After gaining Armenian apostolic church independence, the question arose about translating the Bible and other holy books into your own language. It was decided to create own funds records. In 405-406, the enlightener Mesrop Mashtots developed the Armenian alphabet. WITH printing press The first book in Armenian script was published in 1512 in Venice.
Culture
Culture proud people goes back to the 1st millennium BC. e. Even after the loss of independence, the Armenians retained their identity and high level development of art and science. After the restoration of the independent Armenian kingdom in the 9th century, a kind of cultural renaissance began.
The invention of our own writing was a powerful impetus for the emergence literary works. IN VIII-X centuries The majestic epic “David of Sassoun” was taking shape about the struggle that the Armenians waged against the Arab conquerors. What else have they created? literary monuments- the subject of a separate extensive discussion.
Music of the peoples of the Caucasus - rich topic for discussion. The Armenian one stands out for its particular diversity.
Among the original people, the original people were even included in the UNESCO lists as one of the intangible objects of the cultural heritage of humanity.
However, among the traditional elements of culture, the best ordinary people Armenian cuisine is familiar. Thin flatbreads - lavash, dairy products - matsun, tan. No self-respecting Armenian family will sit at a table that does not have a bottle of wine, often home-made.
Black pages of history
Any original people that fiercely resists absorption and assimilation becomes a strong object of hatred for the invaders. Territory of Western and Eastern Armenia, divided between the Persians and the Turks, was repeatedly subjected to ethnic cleansing. The most famous is the Armenian genocide, which has never happened in history.
During the First World War, the Turks organized a real extermination of the Armenians living in the territory of Western Armenia, which was then part of Turkey. Those who survived the massacre were forcibly removed to barren deserts and doomed to death.
As a result of this unprecedented barbaric act, between 1.5 and 2 million people died. Terrible tragedy is one of the factors that further unites Armenians around the world with a sense of involvement in the events of those years.
The dishonesty of the Turkish authorities lies in the fact that they still refuse to acknowledge the obvious facts of the deliberate extermination of people by nationality, citing inevitable wartime losses. The fear of losing face by admitting guilt still prevails over the sense of conscience and shame of Turkish politicians.
Armenians. What are they like today?
As they often joke now, Armenia is not a country, but an office, since most of the nation’s representatives live outside mountain republic. Many people were scattered throughout the world as a result of wars of conquest and invasions of the country. The Armenian diasporas, along with the Jewish ones, are today the most united and friendly in many countries of the world - the USA, France, Germany, Russia, Lebanon.
Armenia itself regained its independence not so long ago, along with the collapse of the USSR. This process was accompanied bloody war which Armenians call Artsakh. By the will of politicians cutting the borders of the Transcaucasian republics, the territory with a predominant Armenian population became part of Azerbaijan.
During the collapse of the Soviet empire, Karabakh Armenians demanded the legal right to self-determination your destiny. This resulted in armed struggle and the subsequent war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Despite the support of Turkey and some other powers, the overwhelming advantage in numbers, Azerbaijani army suffered crushing defeat and left the disputed territories.
Armenians have been living in Russia for many years, especially in the south of the country. During this time they ceased to be foreigners in the eyes of local residents and became part of the cultural community.
Armenians are one of the most ancient peoples on Earth. This is well known. It is all the more interesting to find out how the formation of the ethnic group took place, and also to recall several theories.
For the first time, a theory about the connection between modern Armenians and residents ancient state Urartu appeared in the 19th century, when historians discovered traces of ancient civilization. Controversy on this issue continues in scientific and pseudo-scientific circles to this day.
However, Urartu as a state came to a decline already in the 6th century BC, at which time the ethnogenesis of the Armenians was only in the final stage of development. As early as the 5th century BC, the population Armenian Highlands was heterogeneous and consisted of remnants of the Urartians, Proto-Armenians, Hurrians, Semites, Hittites and Luwians. Modern scientists recognize that the genetic component of the Urartians is present in genetic code Armenians, but no more than the genetic component of the same Hurrians and Luwians, not to mention the proto-Armenians. The connection between the Armenians and the Urartians can be evidenced by the borrowings taken by the Armenian language from the Urartian and Hurrian dialects. It can also be recognized that the Armenians also experienced the cultural influence of the once powerful ancient state.
Ancient sources
The “Greek version” of the ethnogenesis of the Armenians traces this people back to Armenos of Thessalos, one of the participants in the Argonaut expedition. This legendary ancestor received his name from the Greek city of Armeninon. After traveling with Jason, he settled in the territory of future Armenia. This legend is known to us thanks to the Greek historian Strabo, who wrote, in turn, that he learned it from the records of the military leaders of Alexander the Great.
Apparently, given the lack of earlier sources, it was during the years of the campaigns of the “king of the world” that this legend arose. In principle, this is not surprising. At that time there was even a widespread version about Greek origin Persians and Medes.
Later historians - Eudoxus and Herodotus spoke about the Phrygian origin of the Armenians, finding similarities between the two tribes in clothing and language. Today's scientists recognize that the Armenians and the Phrygians are related nations that developed in parallel, but there are no scientific evidence the origin of the Armenians from the Phrygians has not yet been found, therefore both Greek versions of the ethnogenesis of the Armenians can be considered pseudo-scientific.
Armenian sources
The main version of the origin of the Armenians until the 19th century was considered to be the legend left by the “father of Armenian historiography” and the author of the work “History of Armenia” Movses Khorenatsi.
Khorenatsi traced the Armenian people to the legendary progenitor Hayk, who, according to the pre-Christian version of the myth, was a titan, according to the Christian version - a descendant of Japheth and the son of the ancestor of the Armenians, Togarm. According to myth, Hayk entered into battle with the tyrant of Mesopotamia Bel and defeated him. After Hayk, his son Aram ruled, then his son Arai. In this version of Armenian ethnogenesis, it is believed that numerous names of the Armenian Highlands received their names from Hayk and other Armenian ancestors.
Hayasian hypotheses
In the middle of the last century, the so-called “Hayas hypotheses” became popular in Armenian historiography, in which Hayas, the territory east of the Hittite kingdom, became the homeland of the Armenians. Actually, Hayas is mentioned in Hittite sources. Armenian scholars such as academician Yakov Manandyan (a former adherent of migration theory), professor Eremyan and academician Babken Arakelyan wrote scientific works on the theme of the new “cradle of Armenians”.
The main migration theory up to this time was recognized as “bourgeois”.
The presentation of the Hayasian theory began to be published in Soviet encyclopedias. However, already in the 60s of the 20th century it was criticized. First of all, on the part of the honored orientalist Igor Dyakonov, who published the book “The Origin of the Armenian People” in 1968. In it, he insists on the migration-mixed hypothesis of Armenian ethnogenesis, and calls the “Hayas theories” unscientific, since there are too few sources and evidence base for them.
Numbers
According to one of the hypotheses (Ivanov-Gamkrelidze), the center of formation of the Indo-European language was eastern Anatolia, located on the Armenian Highlands. This is the so-called glottal theory, that is, based on language. However, the formation of Indo-European languages already occurred in the 4th millennium BC, and the time of the alleged settlement of the Armenian Highlands is the 1st millennium BC. The first mention of Armenians is in the records of Darius (520 BC), the first texts are in the 5th century AD.
Origins and formation of the Armenian people
The most common question in the history of Armenian studies has been and continues to be the question of the origin and formation of the Armenian people, which is controversial in some issues. Where do the Armenian people come from, where is their cradle located, when did it form as a separate ethnic unit, and since when has it been mentioned in ancient written sources. The controversy of these issues or their individual points is due not only to the diversity of information from primary sources, but also to the frequent political or other interests of those involved in these issues. However, the available facts, as well as the level modern research fully allows us to answer the question about the origin of the Armenian people and its formation. Let us touch upon, first of all, the legends about the origin of the Armenian people, recorded in the ancient and Middle Ages, in a general line we will present the most widespread theories in historiography, then current state the issue being studied and the surviving ancient facts about Armenia and Armenians.
In the ancient and Middle Ages, a number of legends were recorded about the origin of the Armenians, the most interesting of which, from the point of view of Armenian studies, (as primary sources) are the Armenian, Greek, Hebrew, Georgian and Arabic versions.
a) Armenian legend
It was created from time immemorial and came to us from the recording of Movses Khorenatsi. Certain fragments of the legend are also mentioned in the works of other Armenian medieval bibliographers. In this legend, two layers can be distinguished, the first - oldest layer, was created and existed in pre-Christian times. According to ancient legend, Armenians descended from a god-like ancestor 
Aika, who was one of the titanic sons of the gods. This is how Movses Khorenatsi presents its origin: “The first of the gods were formidable and prominent, the cause of the virtues of the world, and the beginning of the multitude and the whole earth. Before them came a generation of titans, and one of them was Hayk Apestostyan.”
In Christian times, the Armenian legend was modified, adapting to Biblical ideas, according to which after global flood all humanity descended from the three sons of Noah - Ham, Shem and Japheth. According to the new Christian version, Hayk is considered a descendant of Japheth, the son of the ancestor Torgom, hence the name “Torgom’s House” and “Torgom’s Nation” given to Armenia by medieval written sources.
The legend says that Hayk fought with the tyrant of Mesopotamia Bel, defeated him, and as a sign of this, the Armenians began to celebrate the original Armenian date (according to the famous Armenian scholar Ghevond Alishan it was August 1, 2492).
According to the Armenian version, after the name of the ancestor Hayk, the Armenian people are called “Ay”, and the country “Ayastan”, and after the name of his descendant Aram, the names “Armenia” and “Armenians” appeared. Also, numerous names of the Armenian Highlands received their names from the names of Hayk and other Armenian ancestors (from Hayk - Haykashen, Aramanyak - Mount Aragats and the Aragatsotn region, from Aramais - Armavir, from Erast - Yeraskh (Araks), from Shara - Shirak, from Amasia - Masis, from Gegham - Lake Gegharkunik and Gegharkuni region, from Sisak - Syunik, from Ara the Beautiful - Airarat, etc.).
b) Greek legend
The Greek legend telling about the origin of the Armenians is associated with a beloved and is widespread in Ancient Greece the legend of the Argonauts. According to which the ancestor of the Armenians, who gave them the name Armenos of Tesal, who with Jason and other Argonauts participated in the journey to find the Golden Fleece, settled in Armenia, which was named after him Armenia. Tradition says that he originally lived in the Thessalian (region in Greece) city of Armenion. This legend is told in more detail by a Greek bibliographer of the 1st century BC. Strabo, who says that the source of his information was the stories of the military leaders of Alexander the Great. Judging by the facts, the legend about the Armenians was created and associated with the Argonauts during the Macedonian campaigns, since there are no earlier sources telling about this. In all likelihood, this had the same political orientation as the legends about the Greek origin of the Persians and Medians. There are quite a few cases in history when some conqueror, in order to present his goals in a “legal” form, comes up with false reasons in advance. Thus, the axial information about the Thessalian (Greek) origin of the Armenians cannot be considered reliable. The Greek authors Herodotus (5th century) and Eudoxus (4th century) also had incoherent information about the Western (Phrygian) origin. These 
the information relates to the similarity in clothing of Armenian and Phrygian warriors and the presence of numerous Phrygian words in the Armenian language. This, of course, cannot explain the origin of one people from another. Phrygians and Armenians are related nations (they have one Indo-European origin), therefore, the presence of cognate words in the Armenian and Phrygian languages can be considered a pattern.
c) Georgian legend.
The Georgian legend was written under the influence and was recorded in the 9th - 11th centuries. Georgian authors (Unnamed historian, Leonti Mroveli, etc.). According to Georgian legend, from the eight sons of Targamos (Torgom) descended numerous nations, from the eldest son Ayos - Armenians, Kartlos - Georgians, from other sons many people of the Caucasus. Judging by the endings of proper names, this legend had some kind of Georgian primary source that has not reached us. It partially bears the trace political situation that era when the influence of the Bagratids was widespread throughout the Caucasus. This should explain the fact that the founder of the Armenians, Ayos, was the eldest of the brothers.
d) Arabic legend.
Connects the origin of the Armenians with the idea of the emergence of nations from the sons of Noah after the flood. It is presented in most detail in the works of the Arab bibliographers of the 12th-13th centuries, Yakut and Dimashki. According to this legend, from the son of Noah Yaphis (Japheth) came Abmar, then his grandson Lantan (Torgom), whose son was Armini (the ancestor of the Armenians), from the sons of his brother came the Agvans ( Caucasian Albanians) and Georgians. This legend considers the Armenians, Greeks, Slavs, Franks and Iranian tribes to be related. It is interesting that this legend preserves a memory coming from the period of related unity of the Indo-European peoples.
e) Hebrew tradition.
It was recorded on the pages of “Jewish Antiquities” by Josephus Flafius (1st century BC - 1st century AD). According to the source, “Uros founded Armenia.” In Armenian studies there is no single point of view regarding the primary source of this information and its reliability. There is an opinion that it talks about the son of the ancestor Aram Ara the Beautiful. According to other opinions, Uros could be the “son of Rus Erimena” - a king mentioned in the cuneiform writings of the Kingdom of Van. In Assyrian written sources, the name "Rusa" is also mentioned under the name "Ursa", and the name "Erimena" can be interpreted as an anthroponym and as a genus name.
In addition to those noted, there are other legends telling about the origin of the Armenians, which, however, to one degree or another repeat the above and are not of interest.
f) The question of the ethnogenesis of Armenians in historiography.
From the 5th century to the 19th century, the Armenian version was unquestioningly accepted on the issue of the ethnogenesis of the Armenians, formed on the pages of the “History of Armenia” by Movses Khorenatsi, which for many centuries was a textbook and evidence of genealogy for the Armenian people. However, news that appeared in science in the 19th century cast doubt on the reliability of the historian’s information, and the veracity of the national version about the origin of the Armenians was called into question.
In the 19th century, comparative linguistics arose, according to which the Armenians are of Indo-European origin, along with other peoples in prehistoric times they formed one ethnic unity and occupied one territory, which in science is conventionally called the “Indo-European ancestral home”. The question of the origin of these peoples within the framework of this theory is related to the location of the Indo-European ancestral home. IN different times dominated in science different versions location of the ancestral home (Southeastern Europe, southern Russian plains, northern Western Asia, etc.).
In the 19th century in comparative linguistics she received wide use version of the location of the Indo-European ancestral home in South-Eastern Europe. On the other hand, Greek sources regarding the Balkan origin of the Armenians put forward a theory about the resettlement of Armenians. An opinion was formed according to which the Armenians, having left the Balkan Peninsula in the 8th-6th centuries, invaded Urartu, conquered it and, after the fall of the latter in the 6th century, created their own state (the Kingdom of Ervandi). This theory is not based on a set of facts and cannot be considered true for several reasons; it became and still continues to be the subject of political manipulation (in particular by Turkish falsifiers of history).
The next theory about the origin of the Armenian people is the Abetian or Asinic theory, according to which the Armenian language is a mixed non-Indo-European language, therefore, the Armenians did not take part in the Indo-European migration and descended from local Asian tribes. This theory could not resist serious scientific criticism and until then it is denied, since it cannot be mixed languages: from mixing two languages, a third does not appear.
In the early 1980s, the view that the Indo-European ancestral home in the 5-4 millennium BC was revised. was located in the north of Western Asia, more precisely on the territory of the Armenian Highlands, in the regions of Asia Minor, in the northern Mesopotamia and in the north-west of the Iranian Plain. This point of view is still supported by many facts and is accepted by most specialists. The question of the ethnogenesis of the Armenians received a new explanation. In itself, the thesis about the resettlement of the Armenians was rejected, since the Indo-European ancestral home was located precisely on the territory where the Armenian people were formed and went through their entire formation.
Now we can say for sure that the Armenians in the 5th-4th millennium BC. formed part of the Indo-European people and at the end of the 4th millennium and at the beginning of the 3rd millennium they separated from the Indo-European community. It was from this time that the formation of the Armenian people began, which occurred in two stages. The first stage, which can be characterized as the period of clan associations and early state formations, occurred in the 3rd-2nd millennium BC. At the second stage, in V-VI centuries BC. The stage of formation of the Armenian people through the creation of a unified statehood ended.
Summarizing all that has been said, it can be argued that the Armenian language and all those who spoke it separated from the Indo-European community and became independent in the 4th-3rd millennium BC. It was from these times that the Armenian people are mentioned in the territory of the Armenian Highlands, where they carried out their activities , existed and created their own history.
Movsisyan A.