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There are, however, surprisingly early (Bronze Age) attestations of what appears to be the same name as a geographical term in both Mesopotamian and Egyptian sources.
There are, however, surprisingly early (Bronze Age) attestations of what appears to be the same name as a geographical term in both Mesopotamian and Egyptian sources.
The earliest is from an inscription which mentions ''Armânum'' (also read ''Armani''<ref>Artak Movsisyan, "Aratta: The ancient Kindgom of Armenia," Yerevan, 1992. p. 184</ref>) together with ''Ibla'' ([[Ebla]]) as territories conquered by [[Naram-Sin]] (23rd century BC)<ref>surviving in an early Babylonian copy, ca. 2200 BC, URI 275, lines I.7, 13; II.4; III.3, 30.</ref> identified with an Akkadian colony in the [[Diarbekr]] region.<ref>Horace Abram Rigg, Jr., A Note on the Names Armânum and Urartu, Journal of the American Oriental Society (1937).</ref> To this day the Assyrians refer to Armenians by this form ''Armani''.
The earliest is from an inscription which mentions ''Armânum'' (also read ''Armani''<ref>Artak Movsisyan, "Aratta: The ancient Kindgom of Armenia," Yerevan, 1992, p. 184</ref>) together with ''Ibla'' ([[Ebla]]) as territories conquered by [[Naram-Sin]] (23rd century BC)<ref>surviving in an early Babylonian copy, ca. 2200 BC, URI 275, lines I.7, 13; II.4; III.3, 30.</ref> identified with an Akkadian colony in the [[Diarbekr]] region<ref>Horace Abram Rigg, Jr., A Note on the Names Armânum and Urartu, Journal of the American Oriental Society (1937).</ref>


A [[Akkadian language|Babylonian]] inventory of the Akkadian Empire locates the land ''Armanî'' next to [[Lullubi]]<ref>no. 92 of Schroeder's 1920 ''Keilschrifttexte aus Assur''; W. F. Albright, ''A Babylonian Geographical Treatise on Sargon of Akkad's Empire'', Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 45. (1925), p. 212.</ref>
A [[Akkadian language|Babylonian]] inventory of the Akkadian Empire locates the land ''Armanî'' next to [[Lullubi]]<ref>no. 92 of Schroeder's 1920 ''Keilschrifttexte aus Assur''; W. F. Albright, ''A Babylonian Geographical Treatise on Sargon of Akkad's Empire'', Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 45. (1925), p. 212.</ref>
Another mention by pharoah [[Thutmose_III|Thutmose III]] in the 33rd year of his reign (1446 BC) as the people of ''Ermenen'' ("Region of the Minni"), and says in their land "heaven rests upon its four pillars".<ref>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1915[http://holycall.com/biblemaps/minni.htm]; Eric H. Cline and David O'Connor (eds.) ''Thutmose III'', University of Michigan, 2006, ISBN 978-0472114672.{{page number}}</ref> The [[Kurdish]] and [[Turkish]] form referring to Armenians is ''Ermenin''.
Another mention by pharoah [[Thutmose_III|Thutmose III]] in the 33rd year of his reign (1446 BC) as the people of ''Ermenen'' ("Region of the Minni"), and says in their land "heaven rests upon its four pillars".<ref>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1915[http://holycall.com/biblemaps/minni.htm]; Eric H. Cline and David O'Connor (eds.) ''Thutmose III'', University of Michigan, 2006, ISBN 978-0472114672.{{page number}}</ref>


''[[Minni]]'' (מנּי) is also a Biblical name of the region, appearing in [[Jeremiah]] ({{bibleref|Jeremiah|51:27}}) alongside [[Ararat]] and [[Ashchenaz]], probably the same as the ''Minnai'' of Assyrian inscriptions,<ref>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia s.v. Minni</ref> perhaps corresponding to the [[Minyans]].<ref>Smith's Bible Dictionary[http://www.smithsbibledictionary.com/definition/armenia.aspx]</ref> ''Armenia'' is interpreted by some as ''<sup>ḪAR</sup>Minni'', that is, "the mountainous region of the Minni".<ref>Easton’s Bible Dictionary</ref>
''[[Minni]]'' (מנּי) is also a Biblical name of the region, appearing in [[Jeremiah]] ({{bibleref|Jeremiah|51:27}}) alongside [[Ararat]] and [[Ashchenaz]], probably the same as the ''Minnai'' of Assyrian inscriptions,<ref>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia s.v. Minni</ref> perhaps corresponding to the [[Minyans]].<ref>Smith's Bible Dictionary[http://www.smithsbibledictionary.com/definition/armenia.aspx]</ref> ''Armenia'' is interpreted by some as ''<sup>ḪAR</sup>Minni'', that is, "the mountainous region of the Minni".<ref>Easton’s Bible Dictionary</ref>

It has been suggested that Old Persian ''Armina'' and the Greek ''Armenoi'' are continuations of the Assyrian toponym.<ref>H. A. Rigg (1937).</ref>


There have been further speculations as to the existence Bronze Age tribe (of an ethnonym, as opposed to a toponym) of the '''Armens''' (''Armans'', ''Armani''; [[Armenian language|Armenian]]: {{lang|hy|Արմեններ ''Armenner'', Առամեններ ''Aṙamenner''}}), either identical to or forming a subset of the [[Hayasa-Azzi]]<ref>Rafael Ishkhanyan, "Illustrated History of Armenia," Yerevan, 1989</ref><ref name="Bauer">Elisabeth Bauer. ''Armenia: Past and Present'' (1981), p. 49</ref>
There have been further speculations as to the existence Bronze Age tribe (of an ethnonym, as opposed to a toponym) of the '''Armens''' (''Armans'', ''Armani''; [[Armenian language|Armenian]]: {{lang|hy|Արմեններ ''Armenner'', Առամեններ ''Aṙamenner''}}), either identical to or forming a subset of the [[Hayasa-Azzi]]<ref>Rafael Ishkhanyan, "Illustrated History of Armenia," Yerevan, 1989</ref><ref name="Bauer">Elisabeth Bauer. ''Armenia: Past and Present'' (1981), p. 49</ref>
Etymological speculation inspired by the [[Armenian hypothesis]] of Indo-European origins connects the name with the ''Ar-'' root meaning light, sun, fire found in [[Sun|Arev]] (Sun), [[Light|Arpi]] (Light of heaven), [[God|Ararich]] (God or Creator), [[Ararat]] (place of Arar), [[Aryan]], [[Asha|Arta]] etc.<ref>[[Tamaz Gamkrelidze|T. V. Gamkrelidze]] and [[Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Ivanov|V. V. Ivanov]], ''The Early History of Indo-European (aka Aryan) Languages'', Scientific American, March 1990</ref> Alternatively, the name has been claimed as a "variant" of ''Urmani'', a e living near Lake Van and near Lake Urmia according to an inscription of [[Menuas_of_Urartu|Menousas]].<ref>Vahan Kurkjian, ''History of Armenia'', Michigan 1968[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Asia/Armenia/_Texts/KURARM/4*.html]</ref>
Etymological speculation inspired by the [[Armenian hypothesis]] of Indo-European origins connects the name with the ''Ar-'' root found in [[Aryan]], [[Asha|Arta]] etc.<ref>[[Tamaz Gamkrelidze|T. V. Gamkrelidze]] and [[Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Ivanov|V. V. Ivanov]], ''The Early History of Indo-European (aka Aryan) Languages'', Scientific American, March 1990; James P. Mallory, "Kuro-Araxes Culture", ''Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture,'' Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997. </ref> Alternatively, the name has been claimed as a "variant" of ''Urmani'', a e living near Lake Van and near Lake Urmia according to an inscription of [[Menuas_of_Urartu|Menousas]].<ref>Vahan Kurkjian, ''History of Armenia'', Michigan 1968[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Asia/Armenia/_Texts/KURARM/4*.html]</ref>
According to an increasing number of scholars, [[Indo-European]] presents was in the [[Armenian Highland]] since the [[3rd millenium BC]]. These scholars place the homeland in Armenia, located where the [[Kuro-Araxes culture]] showed Indo-European presents at the same time. <ref>James P. Mallory, "Kuro-Araxes Culture", ''Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture,'' Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.; [[Tamaz Gamkrelidze|T. V. Gamkrelidze]] and [[Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Ivanov|V. V. Ivanov]], ''The Early History of Indo-European (aka Aryan) Languages'', Scientific American, March 1990</ref>


Armenian tradition makes ''Armenak'' or ''Aram'' the great-grandson of [[Haik]].
Armenian tradition makes ''Armenak'' or ''Aram'' the great-grandson of [[Haik]].
Other authors<ref>Hovick Nersessian, ''Highlands of Armenia'', 1998, Los Angeles</ref> connect the Persian name ''Armin'', <ref> Parsiana, ''Book of Iranian Names''[http://www.avesta.org/znames.htm]: a dweller of the [[Garden of Eden]], a son of king [[Kobad]]</ref> ''Armin'' is also a contemporary Armenian name, its feminine being ''Armin'e''. The Persian inscription referring to Armenia is in this form, as ''Armina''.
Other authors<ref>Hovick Nersessian, ''Highlands of Armenia'', 1998, Los Angeles</ref> connect the [[Parsi]] name ''Armin''.<ref> Parsiana, ''Book of Iranian Names''[http://www.avesta.org/znames.htm]: a dweller of the [[Garden of Eden]], a son of king [[Kobad]]</ref>
Modern terms for ''Armenians'' and ''Armenia'' in some neighboring cultures:
{|class="wikitable"
| || Armenians || Armenia
|-
|[[Arabic language|Arabic]] || {{lang|ar|أرمن}} ''Armin'' || {{lang|ar|أرمينيا}} ''Armīniyā''
|-
|[[Assyrian Neo-Aramaic]] || || {{lang|aii|ܐܪܡܝܢܝܐ}} ''Armīniyā''
|-
|[[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]] || Ermənilər || Ermənistan
|-
|[[Farsi]] || {{lang|fa|ارمنیان}} ''Arminiyān'' || {{lang|fa|ارمنستان}} ''Arministān''
|-
|[[Georgian language|Georgian]] || {{lang|ka|სომხები}} ''Somkhebi'' || {{lang|ka|სომხეთი}} ''Somkhet'i''
|-
|[[Kurdish language|Kurdish]] || ''Ermeni'' || ''Ermenistan''
|-
|[[Turkish language|Turkish]] || ''Ermeniler'' || ''Ermenistan''
|-
|}


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 16:27, 11 June 2007

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The name Armenia is an exonym, the Armenian language name for the country being Hayk‘ (see Haik for a discussion of that name). Its first unambiguous application as the ethnonym of the Armenians is in a late 6th century BC Old Persian inscription, as Armina, and a few decades later, Herodotus, in his review of the troops opposing the Greeks, wrote that “the Armenians were armed like the Phrygians, being Phrygian settlers" [1].

There are, however, surprisingly early (Bronze Age) attestations of what appears to be the same name as a geographical term in both Mesopotamian and Egyptian sources. The earliest is from an inscription which mentions Armânum (also read Armani[2]) together with Ibla (Ebla) as territories conquered by Naram-Sin (23rd century BC)[3] identified with an Akkadian colony in the Diarbekr region[4]

A Babylonian inventory of the Akkadian Empire locates the land Armanî next to Lullubi[5] Another mention by pharoah Thutmose III in the 33rd year of his reign (1446 BC) as the people of Ermenen ("Region of the Minni"), and says in their land "heaven rests upon its four pillars".[6]

Minni (מנּי) is also a Biblical name of the region, appearing in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 51:27) alongside Ararat and Ashchenaz, probably the same as the Minnai of Assyrian inscriptions,[7] perhaps corresponding to the Minyans.[8] Armenia is interpreted by some as ḪARMinni, that is, "the mountainous region of the Minni".[9]

It has been suggested that Old Persian Armina and the Greek Armenoi are continuations of the Assyrian toponym.[10]

There have been further speculations as to the existence Bronze Age tribe (of an ethnonym, as opposed to a toponym) of the Armens (Armans, Armani; Armenian: [Արմեններ Armenner, Առամեններ Aṙamenner] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)), either identical to or forming a subset of the Hayasa-Azzi[11][12] Etymological speculation inspired by the Armenian hypothesis of Indo-European origins connects the name with the Ar- root found in Aryan, Arta etc.[13] Alternatively, the name has been claimed as a "variant" of Urmani, a e living near Lake Van and near Lake Urmia according to an inscription of Menousas.[14]

Armenian tradition makes Armenak or Aram the great-grandson of Haik. Other authors[15] connect the Parsi name Armin.[16]

Modern terms for Armenians and Armenia in some neighboring cultures:

Armenians Armenia
Arabic أرمن Armin أرمينيا Armīniyā
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic ܐܪܡܝܢܝܐ Armīniyā
Azerbaijani Ermənilər Ermənistan
Farsi ارمنیان Arminiyān ارمنستان Arministān
Georgian სომხები Somkhebi სომხეთი Somkhet'i
Kurdish Ermeni Ermenistan
Turkish Ermeniler Ermenistan

References

  1. ^ Herodotus, History, 7.73.
  2. ^ Artak Movsisyan, "Aratta: The ancient Kindgom of Armenia," Yerevan, 1992, p. 184
  3. ^ surviving in an early Babylonian copy, ca. 2200 BC, URI 275, lines I.7, 13; II.4; III.3, 30.
  4. ^ Horace Abram Rigg, Jr., A Note on the Names Armânum and Urartu, Journal of the American Oriental Society (1937).
  5. ^ no. 92 of Schroeder's 1920 Keilschrifttexte aus Assur; W. F. Albright, A Babylonian Geographical Treatise on Sargon of Akkad's Empire, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 45. (1925), p. 212.
  6. ^ International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1915[1]; Eric H. Cline and David O'Connor (eds.) Thutmose III, University of Michigan, 2006, ISBN 978-0472114672.[page needed]
  7. ^ International Standard Bible Encyclopedia s.v. Minni
  8. ^ Smith's Bible Dictionary[2]
  9. ^ Easton’s Bible Dictionary
  10. ^ H. A. Rigg (1937).
  11. ^ Rafael Ishkhanyan, "Illustrated History of Armenia," Yerevan, 1989
  12. ^ Elisabeth Bauer. Armenia: Past and Present (1981), p. 49
  13. ^ T. V. Gamkrelidze and V. V. Ivanov, The Early History of Indo-European (aka Aryan) Languages, Scientific American, March 1990; James P. Mallory, "Kuro-Araxes Culture", Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture, Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.
  14. ^ Vahan Kurkjian, History of Armenia, Michigan 1968[3]
  15. ^ Hovick Nersessian, Highlands of Armenia, 1998, Los Angeles
  16. ^ Parsiana, Book of Iranian Names[4]: a dweller of the Garden of Eden, a son of king Kobad

See also

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