An Overview of Armenian Deities
Ancient Armenia had a number of deities, and I thought a short overview might be of interest. The links lead to the respective deities' Wikipedia articles (and, in one case, to a more informative website), under which more information may or may not be found - much information was lost with the abrupt and wholehearted adoption of Christianity in approximately 301 AD. Here is a short list of the deities and what I thought most interesting about them.
Aramazd: Creator god in pre-Christian Armenian mythology, he was the god of fertility, rain, and abundance, as well as the father of the other gods (the goddess Spandaramet was often considered his wife). The ancient New Year was called Am'nor and was a celebration of this supreme God; it took place on March 21st. Spandaramet: The goddess of death, underworld and hell, Spandaramet was invisible herself but had the visible symbol of the earth. She was also the guardian spirit of the land and the vines, representing in this way both fertility and death. Anahit: The greatest of Aramazd's children, Anahit was the goddess of fertility and healing, wisdom and water. The symbol of ancient Armenian medicine was the head of the bronze gilded statue of this goddess, and many people believed the world continued to exist because of her. She had the traditional hair of Armenian women and held a baby in her arms. Mihr: Forming a Triad with Aramazd and Anahit, Mihr was the deity of the truth and the light of heaven. The month of February was dedicated to Mihr and called "Mehekan". Nane: Goddess of war and wisdom, the name "Nane" continues to be used as a nickname for grandmothers in Armenia and other countries around the world. In Ancient Armenia it was traditional for Kings to meet with the oldest woman in their dynasty because she was often seen as the epitome of Nane. Astghik: The deity of fertility and love (it seems like most deities in Ancient Armenia had the aspect of fertility in some way...), Astghik personified love, maidenly beauty, and water sources and springs. Her Vardavar festival is still celebrated in Armenia today (though now considered the Christian holiday of the Transfiguration of Christ), during which people douse each other with water as a wish of health and good luck. Wikipedia says they "sprinkle water on each other", which is not at all the case when you look at youtube... (skip ahead to a minute or so): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgQfrlzkG9E Vahagn: The husband or lover of Astghik, Vahagn was the god of fire and war, and along with his brothers Bab and Tiran was considered an Armenian king. Tir: The god of wisdom, science and studies, Tir was the secretary of Aramazd. Tsovinar: A wrathful storm goddess, Tsovinar had blazing eyes that caused lightning, and rode on a fiery horse.
These deities were largely influenced by Seminitc, Iranian, and Greek gods, and many of the above deities bear large resemblances to the Greek pantheon; as such the original supreme god, Vanatur, was later replaced by Aramazd, and the goddess of fertility, Nar, was replaced by Anahit. With the adoption of Christianity in Armenia, the pantheon of Armenian gods was cast aside.
