Author Archives: SimonVratsian

EBLAITE AND AKKADIAN INSCRIPTIONS ABOUT HAYK AND HIS TWO ANCESTORS – 2023-3

Sargis G. Petrosyan (Gyumri)

In the third quarter of the III millennium BC. in northern Syria, the flourishing and developed city of Ebla was the capital of the eponymous kingdom. Ebla, as well as the neighboring tribal union of Armi, had to resist attacks from the king of Akkad, the despot of all Mesopotamia, Sargon of Akkad. For the same reason, they intended to conclude an anti-Akkadian alliance. The negotiations in Ebla were conducted by the authorized intermediary of Hayk (ebl. Haia//arm. Hayk) – the king of the union of Armi. To conclude the agreement Hayk sent his deputies, the ancestors of his tribe Malum and Muri, to Ebla.

THE ICONOGRAPHY OF PEACOCK IN THE ARMENIAN MEDIEVAL SCULPTURAL ART – 2023-3

Ashkhen D. Yenokyan

The ornament representing the peacock has been known since the pre-Christian period yet. It was also widely spread in the Christian art, initially being perceived as a symbol of Christ’s resurrection. It was also manifested in other symbolic meanings over time, expressed in different iconographic solutions. The mentioned features are also noticeable in the compositions of peacocks found in Armenian sculptural art, which were grouped and interpreted according to iconographic and symbolic features for the first time.

THE ARMENIAN LINGUONYMS OF THE FIFTH CENTURY – 2023-3

Davit S. Gyurjinyan

In the Armenian independent and translated written sources of the 5th century, in addition to the name of the native (Armenian) language, the names of 12 other languages of the nations are mentioned, with the speakers of which the Armenians had cultural, political, religious and other relations. The exceptions are single linguonyms used in the translation of the Bible (լիկայոնարէն “Lycaon language”).

RAFFI’S LITERARY CRITICISM – 2023-3

Ashot N. Hayruni

Raffi considered the writer a “man of the times” who should also guide public thoughts and ideas. Without diminishing the necessary condition of artistic perfection, he is guided in the evaluation of artistic works by the criterion of the primacy of ideological content, essential in terms of the functional significance of literature. In this regard, as well as the capacity and wide expressive possibilities, he particularly emphasizes the need for the development of aesthetic prose, especially the novel genre, in the Armenian reality.

RESTORATION OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH HIERARCHY UNDER ANANIA MOKATSI (942-965) – 2023-3

Vardan A. Aleksanyan

During the long reign of the famous leader of the 10th century, Anania Mokatsi, the Armenian Church faced various internal and external challenges directed against the national-church structures. Anania Mokatsi ascends the throne of the spiritual ruler during the period (during the 40s of the 10th century) of the weakening of the Catholicos power, when national and spiritual unity was threatened. The restoration of the spiritual and religious unity of the country, the establishment of social solidarity were the main guarantees of national security. 

RICHARD G. HOVANNISIAN (NOVEMBER 9, 1932 – JULY 9, 2023) – 2023-3

An essay in tribute and in attempt to sketch his life and work

Rubina B. Peroomian (Los Angeles)

These and still many more were the accolades inundating social media, mourning the loss of the man who had just relinquished life, leaving behind a monumental legacy in the field of Armenian Studies. And none of these words were exaggerations but in fact a roadmap or even a challenge for me to try to accomplish the impossible task to construe and present, within the limits of this
journal article, the life and work of someone who had been my mentor, my role model, my inspiration, my colleague, my friend. I will do my best, holding in my heart the pride of having been a part of a minuscule portion of his activities, and cherishing the honor of having been trusted to write this article for Vem, a reputable academic journal in Armenia.

THE UNKNOWN DEEDS OF A FAMOUS BENEFICIARY – 2023-2

Newly discovered testimonies about Alexander Tairyan in the archive of Alexander Yeritsyan

Haykaz J. Hovhannisyan

The activities of the Armenian businessman and philanthropist Alexander Tahiryan are not properly covered in the Armenian historiography, and scattered information about him in the historical
literature does not reflect and does not characterize his undeniable influence in the Armenian social- political and economic life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

YERVAND PAMBUKYAN, DICTIONARY OF PSEUDONYMS OF AR FEDERATION (DASHNAKTSUTYUN) – 2023-2

Ararat M. Hakobyan

Honored Historian Yervand Pambukyan, a grateful and distinguished historian of Armenian historiography, as a result of many years of diligent and painstaking research work, has put together and put on the reader’s table a valuable dictionary work, “Dictionary of pseudonyms of AR Federation (Dashnaktsutyun). (personal names, toponyms, numerical codes)”, which is unique in its kind. We are confident that this dictionary can play a very useful role in the future for a deeper and more comprehensive study of the history of the Dashnaktsutyun party in particular, and in a broader sense it will be valuable for the research of the history of Armenia of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.