Armenian name of the Milky Way

The ancient Armenians had a refined knowledge of astronomy. The oldest known observatories are located in Armenia. Dated as early as 4200 BCE, Karahunj and the ca. 2800 BCE observatory at Metsamor allowed ancestral Armenians to develop geometry to such a level they could measure distances, latitudes and longitudes, envision the world as round, and were predicting solar and lunar eclipses about 1000 years before the Egyptians began doing the same. One can find all types of  monuments and petroglyphs, written manuscripts and astronomical terms created in the Armenian language thousands of years ago, attesting to the rich knowledge of astronomy by the ancient Armenians.

Every Armenian villager since childhood knows the name of the Milky Way. It can be translated as “the way of a man who had stolen the straw” or the “straw tief’s way”. This proper noun comes from the pre-Christian Armenian legend devoted to the god of fire – Vahagn. It is noteworthy that this name is rather old and is cognate with the words “vah” and “agn” in the Sanskrit meaning a god and a fire. The old Armenian legend recorded by Movses Khorenatsi tells the story of Vahagn who contrived to steel some straw from Assyrian king Barsham once in a very cold winter and brought it to Armenia. According to this tale Milky Way was originated as some part of the stolen straw has been dropped on the heaven in Vahagn’s back way. Vahagn himself was birth into existence by fire from out a reed straw, as the song of his birth recounts:

In travail were heaven and earth,
In travail, too, the purple sea!
The travail held in the sea the small red reed.
Through the hollow of the stalk came forth smoke,
Through the hollow of the stalk came forth flame,
And out of the flame a youth ran!
Fiery hair had he,
Ay, too, he had flaming beard,
And his eyes, they were as suns!

Source:

Hayk Harutyunyan, Byurakan Observatory

http://www.aras.am/ArasNews/arasnews06.html

Mardagayl Armenian Werewolves

In old Armenian folklore there are many creatures into which humans and evil spirits can transform by free will or curse. Often such tales involve Werewolves, roaming at night, snatching children and causing fear. These creatures are known as “Mardagayl” in Armenian. Some tales speak of women who, in consequence of deadly sins, are condemned to spend seven years in wolf form. In a typical account, a condemned woman is visited by a wolfskin-toting spirit, who orders her to wear the skin, which causes her to acquire frightful cravings for human flesh soon after. With her better nature overcome, the she-wolf devours each of her own children, then her relatives’ children in order of relationship, and finally the children of strangers. She wanders only at night, with doors and locks springing open at her approach. When morning arrives, she reverts to human form and removes her wolfskin. The transformation is generally said to be involuntary, but there are alternate versions involving voluntary metamorphosis, where the women can transform at will. These werewolves run like the wind and are able to make a journey of many days in just one hour—such that no one can detect their absence from home. A werewolf cannot be killed by a knife or weapon. The only way to save oneself from them is to take and burn the pelt. However, during the day mardagayl hides the skin and it is difficult to find. After seven years, the wolfskin ascends to Heaven on its own accord, and the person returns to being a normal human being. Sometimes, only one trace remains of the prior condition, usually a tail.

Other tales related to werewolves have a mythical character, such as the creation of the Milky Way. A young newly married woman, one Armenian folk story says, had been transformed into a werewolf. Once when washing a guest’s feet, she observed that the feet were very white and tender. She liked this a lot. At night, when everyone was asleep, she put on the wolf’s pelt and came to devour the guest. However, the brave guest stabbed her in the breast with his dagger. Milk squirted from her breast into the sky, and traces of this milk are till now visible as the Milky Way.

The Legend of the City of Moush

I recently discovered 100 Armenian legends published by the Ararat Brandy company on their website and would like to share some of them with you (now and then).  This one is about one of most ancient Armenian cities called Moush (in today’s Turkey known as Muş).

The Legend of the City of Moush

There was a city on the Aratsani River where people used to quarrel among themselves. They were arrogant and remained enslaved by their morose vanity. Pride prevented them from forming impartial opinions, even about themselves.

All they did from dawn until dusk was argue with each other and lecture each other, finding faults with each other for no reason. When disputes flared up so much that things came close to a fight, the Armenian goddess of wisdom Nane came to people’s aid. She would send such a thick blanket of fog over the entire city that the people caught in it could not see anything around them. In the end, they were forced to stop shouting their threats and insults into white nothingness.

“You just wait!” they would cry. “As soon as the fog lifts we’ll continue our discussion!”

But the fog floated over the city like a cloud, thick and slow. The fog lasted until the irreconcilable wranglers forgot their grievances and peaceful tranquil life returned to the city. The wise Nane did that quite frequently. She would cover the city in mist as if calling people to righteousness. And eventually she succeeded! The people of the city became quiet, polite and attentive to each other. They even learned to enjoy the frequent fogs.

Because of these fogs the city became known as Mshoush* and a few centuries later it was shortened to Moush.

The Door of Mher

Mher was the son of the Legendary Armenian Hero David. While avenging his father, he was cursed and trapped inside Raven’s Rock near the ancient Armenian city of Van. Ever since that day Mher lives in that cave. The underground river Gail (Lukos) flows under the cave with a terrible rumbling. According to saga, Mher with his fiery horse must remain there, until there are justice, honesty and peace in the world. Once a year (either on the festival of Roses, originally a pagan fire and water festival, or in the night of destinies) Mher’s door is opened. Anyone near-by on that day is at danger of being trapped inside the rock as well. Someday it is believe Mher will come out of the cave, mounted on his fiery horse, to punish the enemies of his people. That will be the Day of Wrath. Below a picture of Mher’s Door near lake Van (Mheri Dur in Armenian).

Mher's Door ('Mheri Dur' in Armenian) - Mher remains entombed in Raven’s Rock since justice still doesn’t reign over the earth.

ArArAt Legends – Akhtamar

This is a beautiful short film explaining the ancient Armenian legend of Akhtamar.