Armenia is a land of traditions. Traditions that are often born out of necessity to cope with harsh life conditions. One such tradition that recently caught my attention is the ancient practice of dayeakut’iwn. Dayeakut’iwn is a form of child rearing, practiced anciently in Armenia, where a parent would send their child to be...
The world’s oldest rug was made in Armenia

The oldest surviving knotted carpet is the Pazyryk rug, excavated miraculously in the frozen tombs of Siberia, dated from the 5th to the 3rd century B.C., now in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. This square tufted carpet, almost perfectly intact, is considered by many experts to be of specifically Armenian, origin. The eminent...
Ancient Armenian Warrior dance “Yarkhushta” – by Sevak Amroyan

Another amazing song from Sevak Amroyan. This time it’s Yarkhushta / Յարխուշտա The Armenian folk dance Yarkhushta has very ancient origins. As such it has been mentioned in the works of early medieval scholars such as Movses Khorenatsi, Faustus of Byzantium, and Grigor Magistros. Yarkhushta has traditionally been danced by Armenian soldiers before combat...
Yerevan turns 2800

Yerevan is the capital and the largest city in the Republic of Armenia and one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. Today marks the 2800th anniversary of the foundation of the capital city of Erebuni-Yerevan. Celebrations in its honor are to be held in the capitol with music, dances life performances and various other cultural activities. Founded by...
1500 year old Armenian Karas was confiscated during military operations in Eastern Turkey

Turkish media is recently reporting on how the Turkish military has stumbled upon a 1.500 year-old Karas during anti-Kurdish operations in historic Western Armenia. The discovery was reportedly made at a house of a Kurdish PKK member. The military operations are therefore labeled “anti-terror operations” in Turkish media. Daily Sabah reports: Gendarmerie forces carrying out...
Dogs in Ancient Armenia

It is not a secret that the Armenian Highlands have played a vital role in the spread of agriculture and domestication of animals. Among the many animals that have accompanied the early inhabitants of the Armenian Highlands, the dog in particular has a special place in Armenian history and culture. As the inhabitants of the highlands...
Yerevan turns 2799, Congratulation!

Yerevan is the capital and the largest city in the Republic of Armenia and one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. Today marks the 2799th anniversary of the foundation of the capital city of Erebuni-Yerevan. Celebrations in its honor will be held in the capitol with music, dances life performances and various other cultural activities. Founded by the...
Jeweled gun of Sultan Mahmud I by Hovhannes Agha Düz (1732-1733)

Armenian jewelers, just as in the Russian and Persian empires, were renown in the Ottoman empire. English archaeologist V. Gordon Childe in his work ‘New Light on the Most Ancient East’ describes that the ancestors of the Armenians were among the first tribes in the world to start working metal; they had invented iron...
The Milk Revolution: How people from the Armenian Plateau brought milk to Europe

The Armenian Highlands was an important center of early human technological and agricultural inventions. Situated at the crossroads between Europe, Middle East and Asia it served as a geographic conduit for the spread of technology and genetics into Europe during the Neolithic revolution when humans first abandoned hunting and gathering and started to settle down....
Aronian Takes Sole Lead After Defeating Karjakin

Armenian Grandmaster Levon Aronian is now the sole leader of the Altibox Norway Chess Tournament 2017, after beautifully defeating Russia’s Sergey Karjakin in the 7th round. Aronian scores 5 points after his 3rd win in a row. Sergey Karjakin lost in the 41th move. Two more rounds remain! In the round 8 Aronian is playing against...