Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, Vol. 16, No 4,(2016), pp. 385-392 Copyright © 2016 MAA Open Access. Printed in Greece. All rights reserved. 10.5281/zenodo.220961 ARMENIAN ARCHAEOASTRONOMY AND ASTRONOMY IN CULTURE Areg Mickaelian*1 and Sona Farmanyan2 1Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO), National Academy of Sciences, Byurakan 0213, Aragatzotn Province, Armenia 2M. Abeghyan Institute of Literature, National Academy of Sciences, 15 Grigor Lusavorich Str., Yerevan 0015, Armenia Received: 25/02/2016 Accepted: 12/03/2016 Corresponding author: Areg Mickaelian (
[email protected]) ABSTRACT A review is given on archaeoastronomy in Armenia and astronomical knowledge reflected in the Armenian culture. Astronomy in Armenia was popular since ancient times and Armenia is rich in its astronomical heritage, such as the names of the constellations, ancient observatories, Armenian rock art (numerous petroglyphs of astronomical content), ancient and medieval Armenian calendars, astronomical terms and names used in Armenian language since II-I millennia B.C., records of astronomical events by ancient Armenians (e.g. Halley’s comet in 87 B.C., supernovae explosion in 1054), the astronomical heritage of the Armenian medieval great thinker Anania Shirakatsi’s (612-685), medieval sky maps and astronomical devices by Ghukas (Luca) Vanandetsi (XVII-XVIII centuries) and Mkhitar Sebastatsi (1676-1749), etc. For systemization and further regular studies, we have created a webpage devoted to Armenian archaeoastronomical matters at Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS) website. Issues on astronomy in culture include astronomy in ancient Armenian cultures, ethnoastronomy, astronomy in Armenian religion and mythology, astronomy and astrology, astronomy in folklore and poetry, astronomy in arts, astrolinguistics and astroheraldry. A similar webpage for Astronomy in Armenian Culture is being created at ArAS website and a permanent section “Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture” has been created in ArAS Electronic Newsletter.