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Culture of Armenia

The culture of Armenia encompasses many elements that are based on the geography, literature, architecture, dance, and music of the Armenian people.

Creative arts

Literature

 
Painting by Stepanos Nersissian (1807–84), kept at the Pontifical Residence at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Literature began in Armenia around 401 A.D. The majority of the literary arts were created by Moses of Khorene, in the 5th century. Through the years the elements of literature have changed as the stories and myths were passed on through generations. In the late 17th century, Alexander Tertzakian was a renowned Armenian writer who created several works considered to be among Armenia's classics. During the 19th century, writer Mikael Nalbandian worked to create a new Armenian literary identity. Nalbandian's poem "Song of the Italian Girl" may have been the inspiration for the Armenian national anthem, Mer Hayrenik.

 
Movses Khorenatsi, a prominent Armenian writer of the 5th century.

Mesrop Mashtots is considered to be the creator of the Armenian alphabet. This event which took place in the 5th century is considered to be one of the most important turning points of Armenian Literature

Movses Khorenatsi was a prominent Armenian historian from the period of late antiquity and the author of the History of the Armenians.

Khorenatsi is credited with the earliest known historiographical work on the history of Armenia written in Armenian, but was also a poet, or hymn writer, and a grammarian. The History of Armenia was written at the behest of Prince Sahak Bagratuni and has had an enormous impact on Armenian historiography. It was used and quoted extensively by later medieval Armenian authors. Although other Armenians, such as Agathangelos, had previously written histories on Armenia, Movses' work holds particular significance because it contains unique material on the old oral traditions in Armenia before its conversion to Christianity and, more importantly, traces Armenian history from Movses' day back to its origins.

Dance

 
Traditional Armenian Dance

The Armenian dance heritage has been one of the oldest, richest and most varied in the Near East. From the fifth to the third millennia B.C., in the higher regions of Armenia there are rock paintings of scenes of country dancing. These dances were probably accompanied by certain kinds of songs or musical instruments. In the 5th century Moses of Khorene (Movsés Khorenats'i) himself had heard of how the old descendants of Aram (that is Armenians) make mention of these things (epic tales) in the ballads for the lyre and their songs and dances.

 
Yarkhushta performed by Karin folk dance troupe from Yerevan.

One of the most energetic Armenian dances is the martial dance Yarkhushta. Yarkhushta is believed to have its origins in the early Middle Ages as it is mentioned in the works of Movses Khorenatsi, Faustus of Byzantium, and Grigor Magistros.[1] Yarkhushta has traditionally been danced by Armenian soldiers before combat engagements, partly for ritualistic purposes, and partly in order to cast off fear and boost battle spirit.[2]

The dance is performed by men, who face each other in pairs. The key element of the dance is a forward movement when participants rapidly approach one another and vigorously clap onto the palms of hands of dancers in the opposite row.[1]

Architecture

 
Two 16th-century khachkars ("cross-stones"), removed from the Julfa cemetery and now on display within the precincts of Etchmiadzin
 
Ancient Armenian Tatev Monastery

Classical Armenian architecture is divided into four separate periods. The first Armenian churches were built between the 4th and 7th Century, beginning when Armenia converted to Christianity, and ending with the Arab invasion of Armenia.[3] The early churches were mostly simple basilicas, but some with side apses. By the 5th century the typical cupola cone in the center had become widely used. By the 7th century, centrally-planned churches had been built and a more complicated niched buttress and radiating Hrip'simé style had formed. By the time of the Arab invasion, most of what we now know as classical Armenian architecture had formed.

Carpets

 
Armenian vishapagorg (dragon-carpet) style Artsakh carpet[4] from Shushi, 1813)
 
Armenian rugs shown at Vernissage market in Yerevan

Though women historically dominated carpet-weaving in Armenian communities, several prominent carpet-weavers in Karabakh are known to have been men, and in some cases whole families took up the art. The oldest extant Armenian carpet from the region, referred to as Artsakh during the medieval era, is from the village of Banants (near Gandzak) and dates to the early 13th century.[5] The first time that the Armenian word for carpet, gorg, was used in historical sources was in a 1242-1243 Armenian inscription on the wall of the Kaptavan Church in Artsakh.[4]

Art historian Hravard Hakobyan notes that "Artsakh carpets occupy a special place in the history of Armenian carpet-making. Common themes and patterns found on Armenian carpets were the depiction of dragons and eagles. They were diverse in style, rich in color and ornamental motifs, and were even separated in categories depending on what sort of animals were depicted on them, such as artsvagorgs (eagle-carpets), vishapagorgs (dragon-carpets) and otsagorgs (serpent-carpets). The rug mentioned in the Kaptavan inscriptions is composed of three arches, "covered with vegatative ornaments", and bears an artistic resemblance to the illuminated manuscripts produced in Artsakh.[4]

The art of carpet weaving was in addition intimately connected to the making of curtains as evidenced in a passage by Kirakos Gandzaketsi, a 13th-century Armenian historian from Artsakh, who praised Arzu-Khatun, the wife of regional prince Vakhtang Khachenatsi, and her daughters for their expertise and skill in weaving.[6]

Armenian carpet was also renowned by foreigners who traveled to Artsakh; the Arab geographer and historian Al-Masudi noted that, among other works of art, he had never seen such carpets elsewhere in his life.[7]

Art

The National Art Gallery in Yerevan has more than 16,000 works that date back to the Middle Ages, which indicate Armenia's rich tales and stories of the times. It houses paintings by many European masters as well. The Modern Art Museum, the Children's Picture Gallery, and the Martiros Saryan Museum are only a few of the other noteworthy collections of fine art on display in Yerevan. Moreover, many private galleries are in operation, with many more opening every year, featuring rotating exhibitions and sales.

 
Armenian Needlelace circa 2004

Lacemaking

Like Lacis, Armenian needlelace seems to be an obvious descendant of netmaking. Where lacis adds decorative stitches to a net ground, Armenian needlelace involves making the net itself decorative. There is some archaeological evidence suggesting the use of lace in prehistoric Armenia and the prevalence of pre-Christian symbology in traditional designs would certainly suggest a pre-Christian root for this art form. In contrast to Europe where lace was the preserve of the nobility, in Armenia it decorated everything from traditional headscarves to lingerie. Thus lacemaking was part of many women's lives.

Theater

Born in Cairo, Egypt, Atom Egoyan is now an internationally known filmmaker who is celebrated for his contemporary work, including personal feature films and other related projects. He is the winner of many awards at international film festivals, such as the Grand Prix and international Critics' Awards from the Cannes Film Festival and two Academy Award nominations for "The Sweet Hereafter". Egoyan has also worked in the television and theatre industries, producing Wagner's Die Walkure which was performed by the Canadian Opera Company in April 2004.[8] Egoyan's creation Ararat (2002) is about the 1915 Armenian Genocide perpetrated by Turks in the Turkish Ottoman Empire. It depicts the consequences and suffering of a child survivor Arshile Gorky, and is an incredibly made-movie for both Armenians and non-Armenians.[9]

Music

 
Duduk player and a singer

One of the most important parts of Armenian culture is the music, which has brought new forms of music in recent years, while maintaining traditional styles too. This is evidenced by the world-class Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra that performs at the beautifully refurbished Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall in the Yerevan Opera House, where one can also attend a full season of opera. In addition, several chamber ensembles are highly regarded for their musicianship, including the Komitas Quartet, Hover Chamber Choir, National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia and the Serenade Orchestra. Classical music can also be heard at one of several smaller venues, including the Yerevan State Musical Conservatory, the Komitas Chamber Music Hall and the Komitas Museum. Jazz is popular in Armenia, especially in the summer when live performances are a regular occurrence at one of the city's many outdoor cafés and parks. Armenian rock has made its input to the rock culture. The most known Armenian traditional instrument is the Ծիրանափող, meaning apricot flute, also known as duduk (pronounced [duˈduk] or doo-dook).

Modern day Armenian artists have incorporated folk music into more modern jazz and rock genres so that the traditional music still influences their creations, such as Zartong a late 70's Armenian progressive folk band based out of France.[10]

Inga and Anush Arshakyans are an unexpected duo who create ethno, contemporary tracks that are also full of Armenian spirit. After graduating from the Yerevan State Conservatory, the singers started performing together on the professional stage in 2000. Later, in 2009 Inga & Anush represented Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow. They ended up taking the tenth place with 92 points. Their music is a balanced fusion of Armenian folk music, rock, jazz and other contemporary genres.[11] Some of their most popular tracks include Menq Enq Mer Sarere and Im Anune Hayastan e.

Another singer from Yerevan, Armenia who is popular among young adults is Armen Gondrachyan, more famously known as ‘Armenchik’. The influence of his father, who was also a singer, inspired Armen to start singing at the young age of seven. In 1989, Armen and his family moved to the United States, while in 1995, at the age of fifteen, he found a band and recorded his first album. In 1988, Armen went back to his hometown in Armenia and lived there for a year, and at the same time released the album, "Armen, memories from Armenia." This release initiated his path to star-dom.[12] With his current fame, Armen is still very dedicated to the Armenian community. It was in October 2003 that he had his first concert in Glendale, California. The concert was a sellout, and in that same year, Armen received an award for the best-selling album of the year, "Anunt Inche".[13]

Isabel Bayrakdarian is an opera singer of Armenian descent and is now known and popular both among Armenians and non-Armenians. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in biomedical engineering, but has become very successful in North America as an opera singer and an active concertizer. She is featured on the Grammy-award-winning soundtrack of the film, the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Bayrakdarian is also the winner of four Juno Awards for Best Classical Album (Vocal). Further, she is a featured vocalist of Atom Egoyan's movie, Ararat, in collaboration with the band "Delerium", which brought in another Grammy nomination.[14]

Şahan Arzruni is an internationally renowned concert pianist, born in Istanbul, Turkey. Through his live performances and sound recordings he has disseminated the Armenian piano music throughout the world. He has some two dozen recordings, devoted mostly to the works of Armenian composer. Arzruni is also an author, a lecturer, a producer and impresario. He has been awarded two medals by the Armenian government for furthering Armenian culture. He lives in New York City.

Since 2014, The Naghash Ensemble has been touring in Europe performing new music by American-Armenian composer John Hodian based on sacred Armenian poetry by the medieval painter, poet and priest Mkrtich Naghash. With three female vocalists, duduk, oud, dhol and piano, The Naghash Ensemble combines new classical music and post-minimaslism with Armenian folk and spiritual music.

Cinema

 
Moscow Cinema in Yerevan

Soviet Armenia (1924) was the first Armenian documentary film. Namus was the first Armenian silent black and white film (1926, Namus at IMDb), directed by Hamo Beknazarian and based on a play of Alexander Shirvanzade describing the ill fate of two lovers, who were engaged by their families to each other since childhood, but because of violations of namus (a tradition of honor), the girl was married by her father. In 1969, Sergei Parajanov created The Color of Pomegranates.

Language

The Armenian language dates to the early period of Indo-European differentiation and dispersion some 5000 years ago, or perhaps as early as 7,800 years ago according to some recent research.[15] Trade and conquest forced the language to change, adding new words into the people's vocabulary. Literature and books written in Armenian appeared by the 4th century. The written language of that time, called classical Armenian or Grabar, remained the Armenian literary language, with various changes, until the 19th century. Meanwhile, spoken Armenian developed independently of the written language. Many dialects appeared when Armenian communities became separated by geography or politics, and not all of these dialects are mutually intelligible. English is a popular language in the business world.

Cuisine

 
Armenian Tolma
 
Dried fruit products at a market in Yerevan

Armenian cuisine is as ancient as the history of Armenia, a combination of different tastes and aromas.[16] The food often has quite a distinct smell. Closely related to eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, various spices, vegetables, fish, and fruits combine to present unique dishes. Armenia is also famous for its wine and brandy. In particular, Armenian cognac is renowned worldwide (winner of several awards), and was considered by the late British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, as his favourite. It has often been referred to as the food of today.

A very important aspect of the Armenian cuisine is the traditional bread called Lavash. In 2014, "Lavash, the preparation, meaning and appearance of traditional bread as an expression of culture in Armenia" was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.[17]

The Armenian soup, Khash, also has its own, unique place in the Armenian cuisine. The name khash originates from the Armenian verb khashél (Armenian: խաշել), which means "to boil." The dish, initially called khashoy, is mentioned by a number of medieval Armenian authors, e.g. Grigor Magistros (11th century), Mkhitar Heratsi (12th century), Yesayi Nchetsi (13th century), etc.[18]

The pomegranate, with its symbolic association with fertility represents that nation. The apricot is the national fruit. Since Roman times, the apricot was known as Prunus Armeniaca, literally translated as " Armenian Plum". According to encyclopedia.com,"A popular Armenian drink to this day is tan, a mixture of water and soured yogurt".

Sports

A wide array of sports are played in Armenia. Football is the most popular sport in Armenia. Other popular sports are wrestling, weightlifting, judo, chess, and boxing. Armenia's mountainous terrain provides great opportunities for the practice of sports like skiing and rock climbing. Being a landlocked country, water sports can only be practiced on lakes, notably Lake Sevan. Competitively, Armenia has been very successful at chess, weightlifting, and wrestling at the international level. Armenia is also an active member of the international sports community, with full membership in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Federation of International Bandy (FIB), and International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It also hosts the Pan-Armenian Games.

In Post-Soviet countries, the Armenian football players are well known for their skills and well developed techniques. This is mainly due to the success of the Armenian players such as, Khoren Hovhannisyan, Eduard Markarov, Levon Ishtoyan, Nikita Simonyan, etc. One of the biggest successes of Armenian club was the took place in the golden year of 1973, where the famous Armenian club Ararat Yerevan took both, the title of the Soviet Top League and the Soviet Cup.

Since independence, Armenia has been very successful in chess. Armenia's men team have won the Chess Olympiad 3 times, making them 5th most successful team in chess world history. Famous chess players, such as Tigran Petrosyan and Garry Kasparov are both of Armenian origins.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Հայաստանի Հանրապետության ոչ նյութական մշակութային արժեքների ցանկերի կազմման չափորոշիչները և ոչ նյութական մշակութային ժառանգության արժեքների ցանկը հաստատելու մասին [On approving the criteria for compiling lists of intangible cultural values of the Republic of Armenia and the list of intangible cultural heritage values] (PDF). gov.am (in Armenian). Government of Armenia. March 2010. pp. 8–11. (PDF) from the original on 4 January 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  2. ^ Petrosyan, Irina (2006). Armenian Food: Fact, Fiction & Folklore. p. 19.
  3. ^ Edwards, Robert W., "Armenia" (2016). The Eerdmans Encyclopedia of Early Christian Art and Archaeology, ed., Paul Corby Finney. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 119–122. ISBN 978-0-8028-9016-0.
  4. ^ a b c Hakobyan. Medieval Art of Artsakh, p. 84.
  5. ^ Hakobyan, Hravard H. (1990). The Medieval Art of Artsakh. Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Parberakan. p. 84. ISBN 5-8079-0195-9.
  6. ^ (in Armenian) Kirakos Gandzaketsi. Պատմություն Հայոց (History of Armenia). Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1961, p. 216, as cited in Hakobyan. Medieval Art of Artsakh, p. 84, note 18.
  7. ^ Ulubabyan, Bagrat A. (1975). Խաչենի իշխանությունը, X-XVI դարերում [The Principality of Khachen, From the 10th to 16th Centuries] (in Armenian). Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences. p. 267.
  8. ^ Egoyan, Atom. "About". Ego Film Arts. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  9. ^ PARAJANOV.com. "Atom Egoyan Biography". IMDb. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  10. ^ https://www.discogs.com/artist/2041069-Zartong?layout=big
  11. ^ . SHARM Holding. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  12. ^ . Armen Entertainment. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  13. ^ Yervand. . Armenian Songbook. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  14. ^ Bayrakdarian, Isabel. . Isabel Bayrakdarian. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  15. ^ Nicholas Wade, "Biological dig for the roots of language," International Herald Tribune, (March 18, 2004) 10; Gray & Atkinson, "Anatolian Theory of Indo-European origin," 437.
  16. ^ Roudik, Peter (2009). Culture and Customs of the Caucasus. Greenwood Press. p. 131. ISBN 978-0-313-34885-3.
  17. ^ "UNESCO". UNESCO. 2014.
  18. ^ "Հայերէն արմատական բառարան, Հրաչեայ Աճառեան".

External links

    Books

    • Nina G. Garsoïan. Church and Culture in Early Medieval Armenia. — Ashgate, 1999.
    • Vrej Nersessian, Tim Greenwood. Art of the Armenians. — Sam Fogg, 2004.
    • Nira Stone, Michael E. Stone. The Armenians: Art, Culture and Religion. — Chester Beatty Library, 2007.

    On folktales:

    • Seklemian, A. G. The Golden Maiden and Other Folk Tales and Fairy Stories Told in Armenia. Cleveland and New York: The Helman-Taylor Company. 1898.
    • Macler, Frédéric. Contes arméniens. Paris: Ernest Leroux Editeurs. 1905.
    • Hoogasian-Villa, Susie. 100 Armenian Tales and Their Folkloristic Relevance. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. 1966.
    • Surmelian, Leon. Apples of Immortality: Folktales of Armenia. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. 1968.
    • Downing, Charles. Armenian Folk-tales and Fables. London: Oxford University Press. 1972. ISBN 0-19-274117-9.
    • Avakian, Anne M. Armenian Folklore Bibliography. University of California Press. 1994. ISBN 9780520097940.

    culture, armenia, culture, armenia, encompasses, many, elements, that, based, geography, literature, architecture, dance, music, armenian, people, contents, creative, arts, literature, dance, architecture, carpets, lacemaking, theater, music, cinema, language,. The culture of Armenia encompasses many elements that are based on the geography literature architecture dance and music of the Armenian people Contents 1 Creative arts 1 1 Literature 1 2 Dance 1 3 Architecture 1 4 Carpets 1 5 Art 1 6 Lacemaking 2 Theater 3 Music 4 Cinema 5 Language 6 Cuisine 7 Sports 8 See also 9 References 10 External links 11 BooksCreative arts EditLiterature Edit Main article Armenian literature Painting by Stepanos Nersissian 1807 84 kept at the Pontifical Residence at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Literature began in Armenia around 401 A D The majority of the literary arts were created by Moses of Khorene in the 5th century Through the years the elements of literature have changed as the stories and myths were passed on through generations In the late 17th century Alexander Tertzakian was a renowned Armenian writer who created several works considered to be among Armenia s classics During the 19th century writer Mikael Nalbandian worked to create a new Armenian literary identity Nalbandian s poem Song of the Italian Girl may have been the inspiration for the Armenian national anthem Mer Hayrenik Movses Khorenatsi a prominent Armenian writer of the 5th century Mesrop Mashtots is considered to be the creator of the Armenian alphabet This event which took place in the 5th century is considered to be one of the most important turning points of Armenian LiteratureMovses Khorenatsi was a prominent Armenian historian from the period of late antiquity and the author of the History of the Armenians Khorenatsi is credited with the earliest known historiographical work on the history of Armenia written in Armenian but was also a poet or hymn writer and a grammarian The History of Armenia was written at the behest of Prince Sahak Bagratuni and has had an enormous impact on Armenian historiography It was used and quoted extensively by later medieval Armenian authors Although other Armenians such as Agathangelos had previously written histories on Armenia Movses work holds particular significance because it contains unique material on the old oral traditions in Armenia before its conversion to Christianity and more importantly traces Armenian history from Movses day back to its origins Dance Edit Main article Armenian dance Traditional Armenian Dance The Armenian dance heritage has been one of the oldest richest and most varied in the Near East From the fifth to the third millennia B C in the higher regions of Armenia there are rock paintings of scenes of country dancing These dances were probably accompanied by certain kinds of songs or musical instruments In the 5th century Moses of Khorene Movses Khorenats i himself had heard of how the old descendants of Aram that is Armenians make mention of these things epic tales in the ballads for the lyre and their songs and dances Yarkhushta performed by Karin folk dance troupe from Yerevan One of the most energetic Armenian dances is the martial dance Yarkhushta Yarkhushta is believed to have its origins in the early Middle Ages as it is mentioned in the works of Movses Khorenatsi Faustus of Byzantium and Grigor Magistros 1 Yarkhushta has traditionally been danced by Armenian soldiers before combat engagements partly for ritualistic purposes and partly in order to cast off fear and boost battle spirit 2 The dance is performed by men who face each other in pairs The key element of the dance is a forward movement when participants rapidly approach one another and vigorously clap onto the palms of hands of dancers in the opposite row 1 Architecture Edit Main article Armenian architecture Two 16th century khachkars cross stones removed from the Julfa cemetery and now on display within the precincts of Etchmiadzin Ancient Armenian Tatev Monastery Classical Armenian architecture is divided into four separate periods The first Armenian churches were built between the 4th and 7th Century beginning when Armenia converted to Christianity and ending with the Arab invasion of Armenia 3 The early churches were mostly simple basilicas but some with side apses By the 5th century the typical cupola cone in the center had become widely used By the 7th century centrally planned churches had been built and a more complicated niched buttress and radiating Hrip sime style had formed By the time of the Arab invasion most of what we now know as classical Armenian architecture had formed Carpets Edit Main article Armenian carpet Armenian vishapagorg dragon carpet style Artsakh carpet 4 from Shushi 1813 Armenian rugs shown at Vernissage market in Yerevan Though women historically dominated carpet weaving in Armenian communities several prominent carpet weavers in Karabakh are known to have been men and in some cases whole families took up the art The oldest extant Armenian carpet from the region referred to as Artsakh during the medieval era is from the village of Banants near Gandzak and dates to the early 13th century 5 The first time that the Armenian word for carpet gorg was used in historical sources was in a 1242 1243 Armenian inscription on the wall of the Kaptavan Church in Artsakh 4 Art historian Hravard Hakobyan notes that Artsakh carpets occupy a special place in the history of Armenian carpet making Common themes and patterns found on Armenian carpets were the depiction of dragons and eagles They were diverse in style rich in color and ornamental motifs and were even separated in categories depending on what sort of animals were depicted on them such as artsvagorgs eagle carpets vishapagorgs dragon carpets and otsagorgs serpent carpets The rug mentioned in the Kaptavan inscriptions is composed of three arches covered with vegatative ornaments and bears an artistic resemblance to the illuminated manuscripts produced in Artsakh 4 The art of carpet weaving was in addition intimately connected to the making of curtains as evidenced in a passage by Kirakos Gandzaketsi a 13th century Armenian historian from Artsakh who praised Arzu Khatun the wife of regional prince Vakhtang Khachenatsi and her daughters for their expertise and skill in weaving 6 Armenian carpet was also renowned by foreigners who traveled to Artsakh the Arab geographer and historian Al Masudi noted that among other works of art he had never seen such carpets elsewhere in his life 7 Art Edit Main article Armenian art The National Art Gallery in Yerevan has more than 16 000 works that date back to the Middle Ages which indicate Armenia s rich tales and stories of the times It houses paintings by many European masters as well The Modern Art Museum the Children s Picture Gallery and the Martiros Saryan Museum are only a few of the other noteworthy collections of fine art on display in Yerevan Moreover many private galleries are in operation with many more opening every year featuring rotating exhibitions and sales Armenian Needlelace circa 2004 Lacemaking Edit Like Lacis Armenian needlelace seems to be an obvious descendant of netmaking Where lacis adds decorative stitches to a net ground Armenian needlelace involves making the net itself decorative There is some archaeological evidence suggesting the use of lace in prehistoric Armenia and the prevalence of pre Christian symbology in traditional designs would certainly suggest a pre Christian root for this art form In contrast to Europe where lace was the preserve of the nobility in Armenia it decorated everything from traditional headscarves to lingerie Thus lacemaking was part of many women s lives Theater EditMain article Theater of Armenia This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it March 2012 Born in Cairo Egypt Atom Egoyan is now an internationally known filmmaker who is celebrated for his contemporary work including personal feature films and other related projects He is the winner of many awards at international film festivals such as the Grand Prix and international Critics Awards from the Cannes Film Festival and two Academy Award nominations for The Sweet Hereafter Egoyan has also worked in the television and theatre industries producing Wagner s Die Walkure which was performed by the Canadian Opera Company in April 2004 8 Egoyan s creation Ararat 2002 is about the 1915 Armenian Genocide perpetrated by Turks in the Turkish Ottoman Empire It depicts the consequences and suffering of a child survivor Arshile Gorky and is an incredibly made movie for both Armenians and non Armenians 9 Music EditMain article Music of Armenia Duduk player and a singer One of the most important parts of Armenian culture is the music which has brought new forms of music in recent years while maintaining traditional styles too This is evidenced by the world class Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra that performs at the beautifully refurbished Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall in the Yerevan Opera House where one can also attend a full season of opera In addition several chamber ensembles are highly regarded for their musicianship including the Komitas Quartet Hover Chamber Choir National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia and the Serenade Orchestra Classical music can also be heard at one of several smaller venues including the Yerevan State Musical Conservatory the Komitas Chamber Music Hall and the Komitas Museum Jazz is popular in Armenia especially in the summer when live performances are a regular occurrence at one of the city s many outdoor cafes and parks Armenian rock has made its input to the rock culture The most known Armenian traditional instrument is the Ծիրանափող meaning apricot flute also known as duduk pronounced duˈduk or doo dook Modern day Armenian artists have incorporated folk music into more modern jazz and rock genres so that the traditional music still influences their creations such as Zartong a late 70 s Armenian progressive folk band based out of France 10 Inga and Anush Arshakyans are an unexpected duo who create ethno contemporary tracks that are also full of Armenian spirit After graduating from the Yerevan State Conservatory the singers started performing together on the professional stage in 2000 Later in 2009 Inga amp Anush represented Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow They ended up taking the tenth place with 92 points Their music is a balanced fusion of Armenian folk music rock jazz and other contemporary genres 11 Some of their most popular tracks include Menq Enq Mer Sarere and Im Anune Hayastan e Another singer from Yerevan Armenia who is popular among young adults is Armen Gondrachyan more famously known as Armenchik The influence of his father who was also a singer inspired Armen to start singing at the young age of seven In 1989 Armen and his family moved to the United States while in 1995 at the age of fifteen he found a band and recorded his first album In 1988 Armen went back to his hometown in Armenia and lived there for a year and at the same time released the album Armen memories from Armenia This release initiated his path to star dom 12 With his current fame Armen is still very dedicated to the Armenian community It was in October 2003 that he had his first concert in Glendale California The concert was a sellout and in that same year Armen received an award for the best selling album of the year Anunt Inche 13 Isabel Bayrakdarian is an opera singer of Armenian descent and is now known and popular both among Armenians and non Armenians She graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in biomedical engineering but has become very successful in North America as an opera singer and an active concertizer She is featured on the Grammy award winning soundtrack of the film the Lord of the Rings The Two Towers Bayrakdarian is also the winner of four Juno Awards for Best Classical Album Vocal Further she is a featured vocalist of Atom Egoyan s movie Ararat in collaboration with the band Delerium which brought in another Grammy nomination 14 Sahan Arzruni is an internationally renowned concert pianist born in Istanbul Turkey Through his live performances and sound recordings he has disseminated the Armenian piano music throughout the world He has some two dozen recordings devoted mostly to the works of Armenian composer Arzruni is also an author a lecturer a producer and impresario He has been awarded two medals by the Armenian government for furthering Armenian culture He lives in New York City Since 2014 The Naghash Ensemble has been touring in Europe performing new music by American Armenian composer John Hodian based on sacred Armenian poetry by the medieval painter poet and priest Mkrtich Naghash With three female vocalists duduk oud dhol and piano The Naghash Ensemble combines new classical music and post minimaslism with Armenian folk and spiritual music Cinema EditMain article Cinema of Armenia Moscow Cinema in Yerevan Soviet Armenia 1924 was the first Armenian documentary film Namus was the first Armenian silent black and white film 1926 Namus at IMDb directed by Hamo Beknazarian and based on a play of Alexander Shirvanzade describing the ill fate of two lovers who were engaged by their families to each other since childhood but because of violations of namus a tradition of honor the girl was married by her father In 1969 Sergei Parajanov created The Color of Pomegranates Language EditMain article Armenian language The Armenian language dates to the early period of Indo European differentiation and dispersion some 5000 years ago or perhaps as early as 7 800 years ago according to some recent research 15 Trade and conquest forced the language to change adding new words into the people s vocabulary Literature and books written in Armenian appeared by the 4th century The written language of that time called classical Armenian or Grabar remained the Armenian literary language with various changes until the 19th century Meanwhile spoken Armenian developed independently of the written language Many dialects appeared when Armenian communities became separated by geography or politics and not all of these dialects are mutually intelligible English is a popular language in the business world Cuisine EditMain article Armenian cuisine Armenian Tolma Dried fruit products at a market in Yerevan Armenian cuisine is as ancient as the history of Armenia a combination of different tastes and aromas 16 The food often has quite a distinct smell Closely related to eastern and Mediterranean cuisine various spices vegetables fish and fruits combine to present unique dishes Armenia is also famous for its wine and brandy In particular Armenian cognac is renowned worldwide winner of several awards and was considered by the late British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill as his favourite It has often been referred to as the food of today A very important aspect of the Armenian cuisine is the traditional bread called Lavash In 2014 Lavash the preparation meaning and appearance of traditional bread as an expression of culture in Armenia was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity 17 The Armenian soup Khash also has its own unique place in the Armenian cuisine The name khash originates from the Armenian verb khashel Armenian խաշել which means to boil The dish initially called khashoy is mentioned by a number of medieval Armenian authors e g Grigor Magistros 11th century Mkhitar Heratsi 12th century Yesayi Nchetsi 13th century etc 18 The pomegranate with its symbolic association with fertility represents that nation The apricot is the national fruit Since Roman times the apricot was known as Prunus Armeniaca literally translated as Armenian Plum According to encyclopedia com A popular Armenian drink to this day is tan a mixture of water and soured yogurt Sports EditMain article Sport in Armenia A wide array of sports are played in Armenia Football is the most popular sport in Armenia Other popular sports are wrestling weightlifting judo chess and boxing Armenia s mountainous terrain provides great opportunities for the practice of sports like skiing and rock climbing Being a landlocked country water sports can only be practiced on lakes notably Lake Sevan Competitively Armenia has been very successful at chess weightlifting and wrestling at the international level Armenia is also an active member of the international sports community with full membership in the Union of European Football Associations UEFA Federation of International Bandy FIB and International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF It also hosts the Pan Armenian Games In Post Soviet countries the Armenian football players are well known for their skills and well developed techniques This is mainly due to the success of the Armenian players such as Khoren Hovhannisyan Eduard Markarov Levon Ishtoyan Nikita Simonyan etc One of the biggest successes of Armenian club was the took place in the golden year of 1973 where the famous Armenian club Ararat Yerevan took both the title of the Soviet Top League and the Soviet Cup Since independence Armenia has been very successful in chess Armenia s men team have won the Chess Olympiad 3 times making them 5th most successful team in chess world history Famous chess players such as Tigran Petrosyan and Garry Kasparov are both of Armenian origins See also Edit Europe portal Society portalArmenian architecture Armenian dress Armenians Alla Ter Sarkisiants List of museums in ArmeniaReferences Edit a b Հայաստանի Հանրապետության ոչ նյութական մշակութային արժեքների ցանկերի կազմման չափորոշիչները և ոչ նյութական մշակութային ժառանգության արժեքների ցանկը հաստատելու մասին On approving the criteria for compiling lists of intangible cultural values of the Republic of Armenia and the list of intangible cultural heritage values PDF gov am in Armenian Government of Armenia March 2010 pp 8 11 Archived PDF from the original on 4 January 2015 Retrieved 26 July 2021 Petrosyan Irina 2006 Armenian Food Fact Fiction amp Folklore p 19 Edwards Robert W Armenia 2016 The Eerdmans Encyclopedia of Early Christian Art and Archaeology ed Paul Corby Finney Grand Rapids Michigan William B Eerdmans Publishing pp 119 122 ISBN 978 0 8028 9016 0 a b c Hakobyan Medieval Art of Artsakh p 84 Hakobyan Hravard H 1990 The Medieval Art of Artsakh Yerevan Armenian SSR Parberakan p 84 ISBN 5 8079 0195 9 in Armenian Kirakos Gandzaketsi Պատմություն Հայոց History of Armenia Yerevan Armenian SSR Armenian Academy of Sciences 1961 p 216 as cited in Hakobyan Medieval Art of Artsakh p 84 note 18 Ulubabyan Bagrat A 1975 Խաչենի իշխանությունը X XVI դարերում The Principality of Khachen From the 10th to 16th Centuries in Armenian Yerevan Armenian SSR Armenian Academy of Sciences p 267 Egoyan Atom About Ego Film Arts Retrieved 4 March 2014 PARAJANOV com Atom Egoyan Biography IMDb Retrieved 6 March 2014 https www discogs com artist 2041069 Zartong layout big Exceptional Armenian duo of Inga and Anush Arshakyans SHARM Holding Archived from the original on 8 March 2014 Retrieved 4 March 2014 Biography Armen Entertainment Archived from the original on 8 March 2014 Retrieved 4 March 2014 Yervand Armenchik s biography Armenian Songbook Archived from the original on 8 March 2014 Retrieved 5 March 2014 Bayrakdarian Isabel About Isabel Bayrakdarian Archived from the original on 8 March 2014 Retrieved 4 March 2014 Nicholas Wade Biological dig for the roots of language International Herald Tribune March 18 2004 10 Gray amp Atkinson Anatolian Theory of Indo European origin 437 Roudik Peter 2009 Culture and Customs of the Caucasus Greenwood Press p 131 ISBN 978 0 313 34885 3 UNESCO UNESCO 2014 Հայերէն արմատական բառարան Հրաչեայ Աճառեան External links EditMusic amp Dance By Robert Atayan Hye EtchBooks EditNina G Garsoian Church and Culture in Early Medieval Armenia Ashgate 1999 Vrej Nersessian Tim Greenwood Art of the Armenians Sam Fogg 2004 Nira Stone Michael E Stone The Armenians Art Culture and Religion Chester Beatty Library 2007 On folktales Seklemian A G The Golden Maiden and Other Folk Tales and Fairy Stories Told in Armenia Cleveland and New York The Helman Taylor Company 1898 Macler Frederic Contes armeniens Paris Ernest Leroux Editeurs 1905 Hoogasian Villa Susie 100 Armenian Tales and Their Folkloristic Relevance Detroit Wayne State University Press 1966 Surmelian Leon Apples of Immortality Folktales of Armenia Berkeley and Los Angeles University of California Press 1968 Downing Charles Armenian Folk tales and Fables London Oxford University Press 1972 ISBN 0 19 274117 9 Avakian Anne M Armenian Folklore Bibliography University of California Press 1994 ISBN 9780520097940 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Culture of Armenia amp oldid 1134118014, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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