Aramazd: Difference between revisions
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{{for|the Zoroastrian deity|Ahura Mazda}} |
{{for|the Zoroastrian deity|Ahura Mazda}} |
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'''Aramazd''' is the principal deity in [[Armenia]]'s pre-[[Christianity|Christian]] pantheon. He displaced [[Amanor and Vanatur]] at the top of the pantheon after interaction with the Persians led to the Armenians' identifying the Zoroastrians' [[Ahura Mazda]] as their prime deity. Aramazd was considered the father of all gods and goddesses, the creator of heaven and earth. The first two letters in his name - AR - are the [[Proto-Indo-European language|Indo-European]] root for sun, light, and life. He was the source of earth’s fertility, making it fruitful and bountiful. The celebration in his honor was called Amanor, or New Year, which was celebrated on March 21 in the old Armenian calendar (also the Spring [[equinox]]). Aramazd was a syncretic deity, a combination of the autochthonous Armenian legendary figure [[Ara the Beautiful|Ara]] and the Iranian [[Ahura Mazda]]. In the Hellinistic period Aramazd in Armenia was compared with Greek [[Zeus]]. The principal temple of Aramazd was in [[Ani]] ([[Kamakh]] in modern [[Turkey]]), a cultural and administrative center of ancient Armenia. The temple had been ruined at the end of the 3rd century AD, after the adoption of Christianity in Armenia as the [[state religion]]. |
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'''Aramazd''' was the chief god in pre-[[Christianity|Christian]] [[Armenian mythology]], cognate with [[Ahura Mazda]].<ref name="FoF">"Aramazd" in ''Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition'', by Anthony Mercanante and James Dow, Infobase, 2009. p.96</ref> |
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<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=kQFtlva3HaYC&lpg=PR15&dq=armenian%20mythology&pg=PA29#v=onepage&q&f=false "Armenian Mythology"] in [http://books.google.com/books?id=kQFtlva3HaYC The Oxford Companion to World Mythology], by David Leeming, Oxford University Press, 17 Nov 2005, p.29</ref> Aramazd was regarded as a generous god of fertility, rain, and abundance, as well as the father of the other gods, including [[Anahit]], [[Mihr_(Armenian_deity)|Mihr]], and [[Nane_(goddess)|Nane]].<ref name="FoF" /> |
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== |
==See also == |
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*[[Ahura Mazda]] |
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{{reflist}} |
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*[[Hayk]] |
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==External links and references== |
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*[http://www.tacentral.com/mythology.asp Armenian Mythology from the Tour Armenia site] |
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[[Category:Fertility gods]] |
[[Category:Fertility gods]] |
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Revision as of 22:44, 26 November 2014
Aramazd is the principal deity in Armenia's pre-Christian pantheon. He displaced Amanor and Vanatur at the top of the pantheon after interaction with the Persians led to the Armenians' identifying the Zoroastrians' Ahura Mazda as their prime deity. Aramazd was considered the father of all gods and goddesses, the creator of heaven and earth. The first two letters in his name - AR - are the Indo-European root for sun, light, and life. He was the source of earth’s fertility, making it fruitful and bountiful. The celebration in his honor was called Amanor, or New Year, which was celebrated on March 21 in the old Armenian calendar (also the Spring equinox). Aramazd was a syncretic deity, a combination of the autochthonous Armenian legendary figure Ara and the Iranian Ahura Mazda. In the Hellinistic period Aramazd in Armenia was compared with Greek Zeus. The principal temple of Aramazd was in Ani (Kamakh in modern Turkey), a cultural and administrative center of ancient Armenia. The temple had been ruined at the end of the 3rd century AD, after the adoption of Christianity in Armenia as the state religion.
See also
External links and references
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