Armenians

Armenians(Armenian:հայեր,romanized:hayer,[hɑˈjɛɾ]) are anethnic groupand nation native to theArmenian highlandsof West Asia.Armenians constitute the main population ofArmeniaand constituted the main population of the breakawayRepublic of Artsakhuntil the2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakhand the subsequentflight of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians.There is a wide-rangingdiasporaof around five million people of full or partial Armenian ancestry living outside modern Armenia. The largest Armenian populations today exist inRussia, theUnited States,France,Georgia,Iran,Germany,Ukraine,Lebanon,Brazil,Argentina,Syria, and Turkey. The present-day Armenian diaspora was formed mainly as a result of theArmenian genocidewith the exceptions of Iran,former Soviet states, and parts of theLevant.
Armenianis anIndo-European language.It has twomutually intelligiblespoken and written forms:Eastern Armenian, today spoken mainly in Armenia, Artsakh,Iran, and the former Soviet republics; andWestern Armenian, used in the historicalWestern Armeniaand, after the Armenian genocide, primarily in the Armenian diasporan communities. The uniqueArmenian alphabetwas invented in 405 AD byMesrop Mashtots.
Most Armenians adhere to theArmenian Apostolic Church, anon-ChalcedonianChristian church, which is also the world's oldestnational church. Christianity began to spread in Armenia soon after Jesus' death, due to the efforts of two of his apostles,St. ThaddeusandSt. Bartholomew.In the early 4th century, theKingdom of Armeniabecame the first state toadopt Christianityas a state religion,followed by the first pilgrimages to theHoly Landwhere acommunityestablished theArmenian QuarterofOld Jerusalem.
The earliest attestations of theexonymArmeniadate around the 6th century BC. In his trilingualBehistun Inscriptiondated to 517 BC,Darius I the GreatofPersiarefers toUrashtu(inBabylonian) asArmina(Old Persian: 𐎠𐎼𐎷𐎡𐎴) andHarminuya(in Elamite).
InGreek,Armenios(Αρμένιοι) is attested from about the same time, perhaps the earliest reference being a fragment attributed toHecataeus of Miletus(476 BC).Xenophon, a Greek general serving in some of the Persian expeditions, describes many aspects of Armenian village life and hospitality in around 401 BC.
Some have linked the nameArmeniawith the Early Bronze Age state ofArmani (Armanum, Armi)or the Late Bronze Age state ofArme (Shupria).Armini, Urartian for "inhabitant of Arme" or "Armean country", referring to the region of Shupria, to the immediate west of Lake Van.The Arme tribe of Urartian texts may have been the Urumu, who in the 12th century BC attempted to invade Assyria from the north with their allies theMushkiand theKaskians. The Urumu apparently settled in the vicinity ofSason, lending their name to the regions of Arme and the nearby lands of Urme and Inner Urumu.The location of the older site of Armani is a matter of debate. Some modern researchers have placed it in the same general area as Arme, near modernSamsat,and have suggested it was populated, at least partially, by an earlyIndo-European-speaking people.The relationship between Armani and the later Arme-Shupria, if any, is undetermined. Additionally, their connections to Armenians is inconclusive as it is not known what languages were spoken in these regions.
It has also been speculated that the land ofErmenen(located in or nearMinni), mentioned by the Egyptian pharaohThutmose IIIin 1446 BCE, could be a reference to Armenia.
Armenians call themselvesHay(Armenian:հայ, pronounced [ˈhaj]; plural: հայեր, [haˈjɛɾ]). The name has traditionally been derived fromHayk(Armenian:Հայկ), the legendary patriarch of the Armenians and a great-great-grandson ofNoah, who, according toMovses Khorenatsi (Moses of Khorene), defeated theBabylonian kingBel in2492 BCand established his nation in theAraratregion.It is also further postulatedthat the nameHaycomes from, or is related to, one of the two confederated,Hittitevassal states—Hayasa-Azzi (1600–1200 BC). Ultimately,Haymay derive from theProto Indo-Europeanwordspóti(meaning "lord" or "master")or*h₂éyos/*áyos(meaning "metal").
Khorenatsi wrote that the wordArmenianoriginated from the name Armenak orAram(the descendant of Hayk).Khorenatsi refers to both Armenia and Armenians asHayk‘(Armenian: Հայք) (not to be confused with the aforementioned patriarch, Hayk).
While theArmenian languageis classified as anIndo-European language, its placement within the broader Indo-European language family is a matter of debate. Until fairly recently, scholars believed Armenian to be most closely related toGreekandAncient Macedonian.Eric P. Hampplaced Armenian in the "Pontic Indo-European" (also calledGraeco-Armenianor Helleno-Armenian) subgroup of Indo-European languages in his 2012 Indo-European family tree.There are two possible explanations, not mutually exclusive, for a common origin of the Armenian and Greek languages.
Some linguists tentatively conclude that Armenian,Greek(andPhrygian) andIndo-Iranianwere dialectally close to each other;within this hypothetical dialect group, Proto-Armenian was situated betweenProto-Greek(centumsubgroup) andProto-Indo-Iranian(satemsubgroup).This has led some scholars to propose a hypotheticalGraeco-Armenian-Aryanclade within the Indo-European language family from which the Armenian, Greek, Indo-Iranian, and possibly Phrygian languages all descend.According to Kim (2018), however, there is insufficient evidence for a cladistic connection between Armenian and Greek, and common features between these two languages can be explained as a result of contact. Contact is also the most likely explanation for morphological features shared by Armenian with Indo-Iranian andBalto-Slavic languages.
It has been suggested that theBronze AgeTrialeti-Vanadzor cultureand sites such as the burial complexes atVerin and Nerkin Naverare indicative of an Indo-European presence in Armenia by the end of the 3rd millennium BCE.The controversialArmenian hypothesis, put forward by some scholars, such asThomas GamkrelidzeandVyacheslav V. Ivanov, proposes that theIndo-European homelandwas around the Armenian Highland.This theory was partially confirmed by the research of geneticistDavid Reich(et al. 2018), among others.Similarly Grolle (et al. 2018) supports not only a homeland for Armenians on the Armenian highlands, but also that the Armenian highlands are the homeland for the "pre-proto-Indo-Europeans".A large genetic study in 2022 showed that many Armenians are "direct patrilineal descendants of theYamnaya".
Genetic studies explain Armenian diversity by several mixtures of Eurasian populations that occurred between 3000 and 2000 BCE. But genetic signals of population mixture cease after 1200 BCE when Bronze Age civilizations in the Eastern Mediterranean world suddenly and violently collapsed. Armenians have since remained isolated and genetic structure within the population developed ~500 years ago when Armenia was divided between the Ottomans and the Safavid Empire in Iran.A genetic study (Wang et al. 2018) supports theindigenous origin for Armeniansin a region south of the Caucasus which he calls "Greater Caucasus".
In theBronze Age, several states flourished in the area of Greater Armenia, including theHittite Empire(at the height of its power in the 14th century BCE), (Mitanni(South-Western historical Armenia, 1500–1300 BCE), andHayasa-Azzi(1500–1200 BCE). Soon after Hayasa-Azzi cameArme-Shupria(1300s–1190 BCE), theNairi Confederation(1200–900 BCE), and theKingdom of Urartu(860–590 BCE), who successively established their sovereignty over theArmenian Highland. Each of the aforementioned nations and tribes participated in the ethnogenesis of the Armenian people.UnderAshurbanipal(669–627 BCE), theAssyrian empirereached theCaucasus Mountains(modernArmenia, Georgia andAzerbaijan).
Luwianologist John D. Hawkins proposed that "Hai" people were possibly mentioned in the 10th century BCEHieroglyphic Luwianinscriptions fromCarchemish.A.E. Redgatelater clarified that these "Hai" people may have been Armenians.
The first geographical entity that was called Armenia by neighboring peoples (such as by Hecataeus of Miletus and on the Achaemenid Behistun Inscription) was theSatrapy of Armenia, established in the late 6th century BCE under theOrontid (Yervanduni) dynastywithin theAchaemenid Persian Empire. The Orontids later ruled the independentKingdom of Armenia. At its zenith (95–65 BCE), under the imperial reign ofTigran the Great, a member of theArtaxiad (Artashesian) dynasty, the Kingdom of Armenia extended from the Caucasus all the way to what is now centralTurkey,Lebanon, and northernIran.
TheArsacid Kingdom of Armenia, itself a branch of theArsacid dynasty of Parthia, was the first state to adopt Christianity as its religion (it had formerly been adherent toArmenian paganism, which was influenced byZoroastrianism,while later on adopting a few elements regarding identification of its pantheon withGreco-Romandeities).In the early years of the 4th century, likely 301 CE,partly in defiance of theSassanidsit seems.In the late Parthian period, Armenia was a predominantly Zoroastrian-adhering land,but by the Christianisation, previously predominant Zoroastrianism andpaganismin Armenia gradually declined.This is the period that anArmenian communitywas established inJudea(modern-dayPalestine-Israel), leading to theArmenian Quarter of Jerusalem.Later on, to further strengthen Armenian national identity,Mesrop Mashtotsinvented theArmenian alphabet, in 405 CE. This event ushered theGolden Age of Armenia, during which many foreign books and manuscripts were translated to Armenian by Mesrop's pupils. Armenia lost its sovereignty again in 428 CE to the rivalingByzantineandSassanid Persianempires, until theMuslim conquest of Persiaoverran also the regions in which Armenians lived.
In 885 CE the Armenians reestablished themselves as a sovereign kingdom under the leadership ofAshot Iof theBagratid Dynasty. A considerable portion of the Armenian nobility and peasantry fled the Byzantine occupation of Bagratid Armenia in 1045, and the subsequent invasion of the region bySeljuk Turksin 1064. They settled in large numbers inCilicia, an Anatolian region where Armenians were already established as a minority since Roman times. In 1080, they founded an independentArmenian Principality then Kingdom of Cilicia, which became the focus of Armenian nationalism. The Armenians developed close social, cultural, military, and religious ties with nearbyCrusader States,but eventually succumbed toMamlukinvasions. In the next few centuries,Djenghis Khan,Timurids, and the tribal Turkic federations of theAk Koyunluand theKara Koyunluruled over the Armenians.
From the early 16th century, bothWestern ArmeniaandEastern Armeniafell under IranianSafavid rule.Owing to the century long Turco-Iranian geo-political rivalry that would last in Western Asia, significant parts of the region were frequently fought over between the two rivalling empires. From the mid 16th century with thePeace of Amasya, and decisively from the first half of the 17th century with theTreaty of Zuhabuntil the first half of the 19th century,Eastern Armenia was ruled by the successive Iranian Safavid,AfsharidandQajarempires, while Western Armenia remained underOttomanrule. In the late 1820s, the parts of historic Armenia under Iranian control centering onYerevanandLake Sevan(all of Eastern Armenia) were incorporated into theRussian EmpirefollowingIran's forced ceding of the territories after its loss in theRusso-Persian War (1826-1828)and the outcomingTreaty of Turkmenchay.Western Armenia however, remained in Ottoman hands.
Theethnic cleansingof Armenians during the final years of the Ottoman Empire is widely considered agenocide, resulting in an estimated 1.2 million victims.The first wave of persecution was in the years 1894 to 1896, the second one culminating in the events of theArmenian genocidein 1915 and 1916. WithWorld War Iin progress, the Ottoman Empire accused the (Christian) Armenians as liable to ally withImperial Russia, and used it as a pretext to deal with the entire Armenian population as an enemy within their empire.
Governments of the Republic of Turkey since that time have consistently rejected charges of genocide, typically arguing either that those Armenians who died were simply in the way of a war, or that killings of Armenians were justified by their individual or collective support for the enemies of the Ottoman Empire. Passage of legislation in various foreign countries, condemning the persecution of the Armenians as genocide, has often provoked diplomatic conflict. (Seerecognition of the Armenian genocide)
Following the breakup of the Russian Empire in theaftermath of World War Ifor a brief period, from 1918 to 1920, Armenia was anindependent republicplagued by socio-economic crises such aslarge-scale Muslim uprisings. In late 1920, thecommunistscame to power following an invasion of Armenia by theRed Army; in 1922, Armenia became part of theTranscaucasian SFSRof theSoviet Union, later on forming theArmenian Soviet Socialist Republic(1936 to 21 September 1991).  In 1991, Armenia declared independence from theUSSRand established the second Republic of Armenia. Also in 1991, the ethnic Armenian-majority Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (later theRepublic of Artsakh), declared independence from Azerbaijan which lasted until 2023.
Armenians are believed to have had a presence in theArmenian Highlandfor over 4,000 years. According to legend,Hayk, the patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation, led Armenians to victory overBelofBabylonand settled in the Armenian Highland.Today, with a population of 3.5 million (although more recent estimates place the population closer to 2.9 million), they constitute an overwhelming majority in Armenia,  Armenians in the diaspora informally refer to them asHayastantsis (Armenian:հայաստանցի), meaning those that are from Armenia (that is, those born and raised in Armenia). They, as well as the Armenians of Iran and Russia, speak the Eastern dialect of the Armenian language. The country itself is secular as a result of Soviet domination, but most of its citizens identify themselves as Apostolic Armenian Christian.
While the largestArmenian diasporapopulations reside inRussia, theUnited States,France, and other countries, small Armenian trading and religious communities have existed outside Armenia for centuries. Aprominent communityhas continued since the 4th century in theHoly Land, and one of the quarters of the walledOld CityofJerusalemis called theArmenian Quarter.AnArmenian Catholic monastic communityof 35 founded in 1717 exists on an island nearVenice, Italy.
Theregion of Western Armeniawas an influential part of theEastern Roman Empire, which wasabsorbedby theOttoman Empirein the 16th century. TheArmenian population of the Ottoman Empireis estimated to have been between 1.5 and 2.5 million in the early 20th century.Most of the modern Armenian diaspora consists of Armenians scattered throughout the world as a direct consequence ofmassacresandgenocide in the Ottoman Empire. However, Armenian communitiesin Iran,Georgia(Tbilisi), andSyriaexisted sinceantiquity.During theMiddle Agesand the centuries prior to the genocide, additional communities were formed inGreece,Bulgaria,Hungary,Kievan Rus'and the territories of Russia,Poland,Austria, andLebanon. There are also remnants of historic communities inTurkey(Istanbul),India,Myanmar,Thailand,Belgium, theNetherlands,Portugal,Italy,Israel-Palestine,Iraq,Romania,Serbia,Ethiopia,SudanandEgypt.
TheNagorno-Karabakhregion inAzerbaijanhad an absolute Armenian majority until 2023. From 1991 to 2023, the region was governed by the Armenia-backedRepublic of Artsakh, a largely unrecognized breakway state.After Azerbaijan defeated Artsakh in 2023afterdecades of conflict, nearly the entire populationfled into Armenia.
Within the diasporan Armenian community, there is an unofficial classification of the differentkindsof Armenians. For example, Armenians who originate from Iran are referred to asParskahay(Armenian:պարսկահայ), while Armenians from Lebanon are usually referred to asLipananahay(Armenian:լիբանանահայ). Armenians of the Diaspora are the primary speakers of theWestern dialectof the Armenian language. This dialect has considerable differences with Eastern Armenian, but speakers of either of the two variations can usually understand each other. Eastern Armenian in the diaspora is primarily spoken in Iran and European countries such as Ukraine, Russia, andGeorgia(where they form a majority in theSamtskhe-Javakhetiprovince). In diverse communities (such as in the United States andCanada) where many different kinds of Armenians live together, there is a tendency for the different groups to cluster together.
Before Christianity, Armenians adhered toArmenian Indo-European native religion: a type of indigenous polytheism that pre-dated theUrartuperiod but which subsequently adopted several Greco-Roman and Iranian religious characteristics.
In 301 AD, Armenia adopted Christianity as a state religion, becoming the first state to do so.The claim is primarily based on the fifth-century work ofAgathangelostitled "The History of the Armenians."Agathangeloswitnessed at first hand the baptism of the Armenian KingTrdat III(c. 301/314 A.D.) by St.Gregory the Illuminator.Trdat III decreed Christianity was the state religion.
Armenia established a Church that still exists independently of both theCatholicand theEastern Orthodoxchurches, having become so in 451 AD as a result of its stance regarding theCouncil of Chalcedon.Today this church is known as theArmenian Apostolic Church, which is a part of theOriental Orthodoxcommunion, not to be confused with theEastern Orthodoxcommunion. During its later political eclipses, Armenia depended on the church to preserve and protect its unique identity. The original location of the Armenian Catholicosate is Echmiadzin. However, the continuous upheavals, which characterized the political scenes of Armenia, made the political power move to safer places. The Church center moved as well to different locations together with the political authority. Therefore, it eventually moved toCiliciaas theHoly See of Cilicia.
Armenia has, at times, constituted a Christian "island" in a mostlyMuslimregion. There are, however, a minority of ethnic Armenian Muslims, known asHamshenisandCrypto-Armenians, although the former are often regarded as a distinct group or subgroup. In the late tsarist Caucasus, individual conversions of Muslims, Yazidis, Jews, and Assyrians into Armenian Christianity have been documented.Thehistory of the Jews in Armeniadates back over 2,000 years. TheArmenian Kingdom of Ciliciahad close ties to EuropeanCrusader States. Later on, the deteriorating situation in the region led the bishops of Armenia to elect a Catholicos in Etchmiadzin, the original seat of the Catholicosate. In 1441, a new Catholicos was elected in Etchmiadzin in the person of Kirakos Virapetsi, while Krikor Moussapegiants preserved his title as Catholicos of Cilicia. Therefore, since 1441, there have been two Catholicosates in the Armenian Church with equal rights and privileges, and with their respective jurisdictions. The primacy of honor of the Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin has always been recognized by the Catholicosate of Cilicia.
While the Armenian Apostolic Church remains the most prominent church in the Armenian community throughout the world, Armenians (especially in the diaspora) subscribe to any number of other Christian denominations. These include theArmenian Catholic Church(which follows its own liturgy but recognizes theRoman CatholicPope), theArmenian Evangelical Church, which started as a reformation in the Mother church but later broke away, and theArmenian Brotherhood Church, which was born in the Armenian Evangelical Church, but later broke apart from it. There are other numerous Armenian churches belonging to Protestant denominations of all kinds.
Through the ages many Armenians have collectively belonged to other faiths or Christian movements, including thePaulicianswhich is a form of Gnostic and Manichaean Christianity. Paulicians sought to restore the pure Christianity of Paul and in c.660 founded the first congregation in Kibossa, Armenia.
Another example is theTondrakians, who flourished in medieval Armenia between the early 9th century and 11th century. Tondrakians advocated the abolishment of the church, denied the immortality of the soul, did not believe in an afterlife, supported property rights for peasants, and equality between men and women.
TheOrthodoxArmenians or the Chalcedonian Armenians in the Byzantine Empire were called Iberians ("Georgians") or "Greeks". A notable Orthodox "Iberian" Armenian was the Byzantine GeneralGregory Pakourianos. The descendants of these Orthodox and Chalcedonic Armenians are theHayhurumof Greece and Catholic Armenians of Georgia.
Armenian is a sub-branch of theIndo-Europeanfamily, and with some 8 million speakers one of the smallest surviving branches, comparable toAlbanianor the somewhat more widely spokenGreek, with which it may be connected (seeGraeco-Armenian). Today, that branch has just one language – Armenian.
Five million Eastern Armenian speakers live in the Caucasus, Russia, and Iran, and approximately two to three million people in the rest of theArmenian diasporaspeak Western Armenian. According to US Census figures, there are 300,000 Americans who speak Armenian at home. It is in fact the twentieth most commonly spoken language in the United States, having slightly fewer speakers thanHaitian Creole, and slightly more thanNavajo.
Armenian literature dates back to 400 AD, when Mesrop Mashtots first invented theArmenian alphabet. This period of time is often viewed as theGolden Ageof Armenian literature. Early Armenian literature was written by the "father of Armenian history",Moses of Chorene, who authoredThe History of Armenia. The book covers the time-frame from the formation of the Armenian people to the fifth century AD. The nineteenth century beheld a great literary movement that was to give rise to modern Armenian literature. This period of time, during which Armenian culture flourished, is known as the Revival period (Zartonki sherchan). The Revivalist authors ofConstantinopleandTiflis, almost identical to the Romanticists of Europe, were interested in encouraging Armenian nationalism. Most of them adopted the newly created Eastern or Western variants of the Armenian language depending on the targeted audience, and preferred them over classical Armenian (grabar). This period ended after theHamidian massacres, when Armenians experienced turbulent times. As Armenian history of the 1920s and of the Genocide came to be more openly discussed, writers likeParuyr Sevak,Gevork Emin,Silva KaputikyanandHovhannes Shirazbegan a new era of literature.
The first Armenian churches were built on the orders ofSt. Gregory the Illuminator, and were often built on top of pagan temples, and imitated some aspects of Armenian pre-Christian architecture.
Classical and Medieval 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. The early churches were mostly simplebasilicas, but some with side apses. By the fifth century the typical cupola cone in the center had become widely used. By the seventh century, centrally planned churches had been built and a more complicatedniched buttressand radiatingHrip'siméstyle had formed. By the time of the Arab invasion, most of what we now know as classical Armenian architecture had formed.
From the 9th to 11th century, Armenian architecture underwent a revival under the patronage of theBagratidDynasty with a great deal of building done in the area ofLake Van, this included both traditional styles and new innovations. Ornately carved ArmenianKhachkarswere developed during this time.Many new cities and churches were built during this time, including a new capital atLake Vanand a new Cathedral onAkdamar Islandto match. TheCathedral of Aniwas also completed during this dynasty. It was during this time that the first major monasteries, such asHaghpatandHaritchavankwere built. This period was ended by theSeljukinvasion.
Many types of sports are played in Armenia, among the most popular beingfootball,chess,boxing, basketball,ice hockey,sambo,wrestling,weightlifting, and volleyball.Since independence, the Armenian government has been actively rebuilding its sports program in the country.
During Soviet rule, Armenian athletes rose to prominence winning plenty of medals and helping theUSSRwin the medal standings at the Olympics on numerous occasions. The first medal won by an Armenian in modern Olympic history was byHrant Shahinyan, who won two golds and two silvers in gymnastics at the1952 Summer Olympicsin Helsinki. To highlight the level of success of Armenians in the Olympics, Shahinyan was quoted as saying:
"Armenian sportsmen had to outdo their opponents by several notches for the shot at being accepted into any Soviet team. But those difficulties notwithstanding, 90 percent of Armenian athletes on Soviet Olympic teams came back with medals."
In football, their most successful team wasYerevan's FC Ararat, which had claimed most of the Soviet championships in the 70s and had also gone to post victories against professional clubs likeFC Bayern Munichin the Euro cup. Notable players includeHenrikh Mkhitaryan,Youri Djorkaeff,Alain Boghossian,Andranik Eskandarian,Andranik Teymourian,Edgar Manucharyan,Khoren OganesianandNikita Simonyan.
Armenians have also been successful in chess, which is the most popular mind sport in Armenia. Some of the most prominent chess players in the world are Armenian such asTigran PetrosianandLevon Aronian.Garry Kasparovis half-Armenian through his mother. As a nation, Armenia won theWorld Championin 2011 and theWorld Chess Olympiadon three occasions.
Armenians have also been successful in weightlifting andwrestling, the latter having been a successful sport in the Olympics for Armenia. At the1996 Summer Olympicsin Atlanta,Armen Nazaryanwon the gold in the Men'sGreco-RomanFlyweight (52 kg) category andArmen Mkrtchyanwon the silver in Men'sFreestylePaperweight (48 kg) category, securing Armenia's first two medals in its Olympic history. There are also successful Armenians inboxing:Arthur AbrahamandVic Darchinyan.
Armenian music is a mix of indigenous folk music, perhaps best-represented byDjivan Gasparyan's well-knowndudukmusic, as well as light pop, and extensiveChristian music.
Instruments like the duduk, thedhol, thezurnaand thekanunare commonly found in Armenian folk music. Artists such asSayat Novaare famous due to their influence in the development of Armenian folk music. One of the oldest types of Armenian music is theArmenian chantwhich is the most common kind of religious music in Armenia. Many of these chants are ancient in origin, extending to pre-Christian times, while others are relatively modern, including several composed by Saint Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of the Armenian alphabet. While underSoviet rule, Armenian classical music composerAram Khatchaturianbecame internationally well known for his music, for various ballets and theSabre Dancefrom his composition for the balletGayane.
The Armenian genocide caused widespread emigration that led to the settlement of Armenians in various countries in the world. Armenians kept to their traditions and certain diasporans rose to fame with their music. In the post-Genocide Armenian community of the United States, the so-called "kef" style Armenian dance music, using Armenian and Middle Eastern folk instruments (often electrified/amplified) and some western instruments, was popular. This style preserved the folk songs and dances ofWestern Armenia, and many artists also played the contemporary popular songs of Turkey and other Middle Eastern countries from which the Armenians emigrated.Richard Hagopianis perhaps the most famous artist of the traditional "kef" style and the Vosbikian Band was notable in the 40s and 50s for developing their own style of "kef music" heavily influenced by the popular AmericanBig BandJazz of the time. Later, stemming from the Middle Eastern Armenian diaspora and influenced by Continental European (especially French) pop music, the Armenian pop music genre grew to fame in the 60s and 70s with artists such asAdiss HarmandianandHarout Pamboukjianperforming to the Armenian diaspora and Armenia. Also with artists such asSirusho, performing pop music combined with Armenian folk music in today's entertainment industry. Other Armenian diasporans that rose to fame in classical or international music circles are world-renownedFrench-Armeniansinger and composerCharles Aznavour, pianistSahan Arzruni, prominent opera sopranos such asHasmik Papianand more recentlyIsabel BayrakdarianandAnna Kasyan. Certain Armenians settled to sing non-Armenian tunes such as the heavy metal bandSystem of a Down(which nonetheless often incorporates traditional Armenian instrumentals and styling into their songs) or pop starCher(whose father was Armenian). Ruben Hakobyan (Ruben Sasuntsi) is a well recognized Armenian ethnographic and patriotic folk singer who has achieved widespread national recognition due to his devotion to Armenian folk music and exceptional talent. In the Armenian diaspora,Armenian Revolutionary Songsare popular with the youth.These songs encourage Armenian patriotism and are generally about Armenian history and national heroes.
Carpet-weaving is historically a major traditional profession for the majority ofArmenian women, including many Armenian families. Prominent Karabakh carpet weavers there were men too. The oldest extantArmenian carpetfrom the region, referred to asArtsakh(see alsoKarabakh carpet) during the medieval era, is from the village of Banants (nearGandzak) and dates to the early 13th century.The first time that the Armenian word for carpet,kork, was used in historical sources was in a 1242–1243 Armenian inscription on the wall of the Kaptavan Church in Artsakh.
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 asartsvagorgs(eagle-carpets),vishapagorgs(dragon-carpets) andotsagorgs(serpent-carpets).The rug mentioned in the Kaptavan inscriptions is composed of three arches, "covered with vegatative ornaments", and bears an artistic resemblance to theilluminated manuscriptsproduced in Artsakh.
The art of carpet weaving was in addition intimately connected to the making of curtains as evidenced in a passage byKirakos 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.
Armenian carpets were also renowned by foreigners who traveled to Artsakh; the Arab geographer and historianAl-Masudinoted that, among other works of art, he had never seen such carpets elsewhere in his life.
Khorovats, an Armenian-styled barbecue, is arguably the favorite Armenian dish.Lavashis a very popular Armenian flat bread, and Armenian paklava is a popular dessert made from filo dough. Other famous Armenian foods include thekabob(a skewer of marinated roasted meat and vegetables), various dolmas (minced lamb, or beef meat and rice wrapped in grape leaves, cabbage leaves, or stuffed into hollowed vegetables), andpilaf, a rice dish. Also,ghapama, a rice-stuffed pumpkin dish, and many different salads are popular in Armenian culture. Fruits play a large part in the Armenian diet.Apricots(Prunus armeniaca, also known asArmenian Plum) have been grown in Armenia for centuries and have a reputation for having an especially good flavor.Peachesare popular as well, as are grapes,figs,pomegranates, and melons. Preserves are made from many fruits, including cornelian cherries, young walnuts, sea buckthorn, mulberries, sour cherries, and many others.
A 2012 study found that haplogroups R1b, J2, and T were the most notable haplogroups among Armenians.
Most notable mtDNA haplogroups among the Armenian samples are H, U, T, J, K and X while the rest of remaining Mtdna of the Armenians are HV, I, X, W, R0 and N.
Notes
Citations
General
TheUCLAconference series titled "Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces" is organized by the Holder of the Armenian Educational Foundation Chair in Modern Armenian History.  The conference proceedings are edited byRichard G. Hovannisian.  Published in Costa Mesa, CA, by Mazda Publishers, they are: