Photos by Arthur_G_78 : on the map, in Google Earth (KML)

Arthur_G_78

The Armenian Highland, or the place where four rivers take source: this is the part of the Earth primarily predestined to be the birthplace of one of the oldest nations in the world, the Armenians. Like the holy mountain Ararat, that has two peaks, i.e. Greater and Smaller Ararats, the Armenian nation—born as a result of the mergence of different Armenian-speaking tribes belonging to the Indo-European language family—simultaneously established two state entities in its homeland, Metz Hayk (Armenia Maior) and Pokr Hayk (Armenia Minor) divided by Euprates river. It was by these very names that the Armenians’ native land became known to ancient peoples and societies. They were used in a wide variety of Greek and Roman sources and maps to denote the two Armenian states. Nourished by their native soil, endowed with the blessings of nature, throughout many millennia, the Armenians enriched it with countless specimens of man’s creative mind, by building their cultural heritage—deeply national in essence—that dates as far back as the times of polytheism and worship of Nature, and reaches the Christian era. Notwithstanding the invasions following one another, and the provisional domination of foreign rulers, the Armenians remained attached to their land, made sacred with their ancestors’ graves and relics. Unlike the hordes of Romans, Arabs, Mongols and Persians, all of which eventually freed the Armenian Homeland from their presence, the Turks, who penetrated into the Armenian Highland from Middle and Central Asia in the 11th century, did not return where they had come from. They stayed in the territories they had conquered and established their own states in the cradles of the Greeks, Armenians and other peoples, by forcing the natives of these lands into adopting Islam, banishing them from their homes, and exterminating them. In the aftermath of all this, the Armenian Homeland, mentioned by the name of Armenia on the very Ottoman maps, was annexed to the Turkish Republic after the Genocide of the Armenians perpetrated between 1894 and 1923. Due to some historical events and circumstances, today most of the Armenian Homeland, once occupying over 400, 000 square kilometres, falls outside the borders of the independent Republic of Armenia. As a result, the major part of Armenian cultural heritage has been stripped of its true owners’ care and protection for almost a century now. Moreover, it has continually been suffering premeditated destruction and obliteration. At present the Republic of Armenia covers an area of 30 thousand square kilometres and has a population of over 3.5 million. In addition, more than 7 million Armenians live in different countries throughout the world. So far numerous works have been dedicated to the natural environment and cultural heritage of Armenia. The present album, which is enriched with a great number of photographs,is intended for those wishing to acquire knowledge of the natural and geographical features and centuries-old monuments of the Armenian Homeland.

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