Lesser-Known Symbols of Armenia

The apricot tree, the khachkar, Lake Sevan… these things are immediately evocative of Armenia. They have special origins or meaning in the land of Armenia and with the people. In fact, many things have this significance in Armenia, some of which go relatively unrecognized outside the country. Here is a list of some lesser-known symbols of Armenia.

The Vishapakar

Our first lesser-known symbol characteristic of Armenia can undoubtedly be the Vishapakar or “dragon-stone”. Khachkars (cross-stones) are not the only stone-artwork that can be called Armenian. Vishapakars are ancient structures thousands of years old, that certainly originated in historical Armenia. They are pretty mysterious structures, as they date all the way back to the 18-16th centuries BC. One of the things about which we can be most certain is that they originated in the Armenian Highland. This is the only place they have been found.

A vishap is an enormous, dragon-like creature from ancient Armenian mythology. It is often believed that the carvings on these stones represent these vishaps, which is how they got this name. There is some correlation between these stones and water. People usually put these dragon stones near the water sources in order to scare vishaps, which were believed to cut the water sources. Based on their shape and iconography, we can identify three main classes of vishaps. The first class is piscis, second typological class is vellus, which comprises stones carved as if the bovid’s hide had been draped or spread on them. The third typological class, the hybrid class, combines the iconographies of the first and the second type. About 150 Vishapakars exist today in the Republic of Armenia, Nakhijevan, and parts of Turkey: all places in historical Armenia.

The Symphony of Stones

Although Mount Ararat will remain the most quintessential natural monument of Armenia, there is another one which should not go unrecognized: the Symphony of Stones. The Symphony of stones is a huge stone structure on the side of a cliff in Azat Gorge, very near the ancient Temple of Garni. It got its musical name due to the stones resembling organ pipes. They formed into this unusual shape naturally.

This should be a symbol for Armenia, as it is such a rare sight in the world. The only other structure that somewhat resembles it is Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, which also has pipe-shaped stones. The Symphony of Stones, however, is majestic, towering high above our heads, as if meant to be played by a god. Such a unique and powerful natural monument needs a place among Armenian monuments like Ararat.

The Bezoar Goat

The Bezoar Goat is a species of goat found in the Caucasus region. The Bezoar goat, or Ibex, is naturally found only in this part of the world. They are mountain goats, many of which throughout history have lived in the Armenian Highland. These animals are fairly large, and have enormous horns that bend backward covering almost the whole length of the animal. They are considered a “vulnerable” species.

While people still hunt them, they are decreasing in number, and aren’t too far from becoming endangered. Their horns are often taken as trophies, as well as a rigid hairball found in their stomach, called bezoar. This animal’s importance for Armenia lies in the mythology. In ancient times, the Bezoar goat was worshiped. The petroglyphs found in the mountains are evidence of this, as many of the images depict this animal. This indicates a religious worship and holy status of the Bezoar goat.

The Daghdghan

Many cultures have a talisman for protection against the evil eye. A more widely known version is the nazar, a blue amulet with an eye in the middle, which some people, including Armenians, wear around their neck or hang on their doors or walls. However, the traditional Armenian evil eye talisman is the daghdghan, a wooden amulet worn around the neck.

The daghdghan is often made from elderwood, and has a design engraved in it. Every daghdghan is unique. It has its own engraving, made by the hand of an artist. The crafter carves symbols into it, each of which has a specific meaning. Therefore each daghdghan can be considered a work of art on its own.

If one is believed to have been given the evil eye, say for example, parents think that someone has cursed their family or child, common responses are to pinch, scratch, or many other little things that lower the chances of the curse having effect. Wearing an evil eye talisman protects the wearer completely, preventing the need for these corrections. Traditionally, the daghdghan is placed on the door, in the house, around a child’s neck, or even around the necks of cattle.

Vordan Karmir

The Armenian cochineal, known as “vordan karmir”, is an insect found in the Armenian Highland. This insect’s significance for Armenia is the red dye made from it. It has been used since ancient times, as indicated in living documents and artworks. There are manuscripts in the Matenadaran museum in Yerevan written in brilliant red made from vordan karmir. The Bible mentions red dye made from red worms, used by Noah’s descendants. The red dye was traditionally used also for textiles, such as carpets. Since the middle ages, the dye was renowned and desired in many countries of the world, both in the Near East and in Europe.

In the third century A.D., the king of Persia brought the red dye to Rome. He presented it as a woven wool fabric made with the dye to Emperor Aurelian. The Romans were fascinated by the brilliant color, making the little worm in Armenia known widely across the world. It was sold in places like Constantinople for a very high price, and people from as far as Europe would travel to buy it. Vordan Karmir was thus an integral part of the Armenian economy.

The insect lives underneath the ground’s surface. Therefore they need to be extracted, and they are most easily found in certain hours of the day. The red color is traditionally obtained by keeping the insects in a chemical solution for some time. Today, the Vordan Karmir is an endangered species.

Symbols of Armenia like the pomegranate, the apricot, and Mount Ararat remain very important to the Armenians, but the aforementioned ones are as well. They should be recognized not because our better-known symbols are not enough, but because all these things have a unique and special significance for Armenia.

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