jacO quarterly, Vol.2, No.4. Summer 2014 The Impact of Mount Ararat on Formation of Armenian Cultural Landscape Samaneh Rahmdel This article retrieved from the research project of "Art and Civi- M.A. in Landscape Architecture lization of Caucasus" and a field research trip, which was organ- ized in 2013 by NAZAR research center. [email protected] Abstract Armenian consider Mount Ararat mother of Armenia. The Armenian history has had deep links with this mountain from the beginning. All of Armenian myths somehow link to the mountain, and Armenian ethnic identity is defined by Ararat. Ararat is considered as symbol of two foldness of Great Armenia and pattern of reattachment of the nation's pieces. In Armenians opinion, Ararat has passed a trade from nature to t myth, from myth to culture, and from cul- ture to landscape. Its status as Armenian's most distinctive element of the natural landscape is the result of Armenians subjective selection of nature, which has been promoted to a cultural element by the association with Armenian culture and mythology. Plus Ararat has had a unique role in formation of Armenian land- scape fabric, as the most important ritual (churches in slopes of Ararat) and residential landscapes (Yerevan city) were established directly by the identified impact of Mount Ararat. In the urban landscape, Mount Ararat appears frequently in the viewpoint, urban graphic and street art; this repeated apparent which is more obvious about Ararat than any other element in the environment, suggests that the mountain has still a centralized role in cultural landscape, as it has retained its unifying role in natural landscape as well. Keywords Ararat, Natural landscape, Cultural landscape, Centralized landscape, Urban art. 20 The Impact of Mount Ararat on Formation of Armenian Cultural Landscape | Samaneh Rahmdel Essence of natural landscape and cultural landscape ness of natural elements like water, mountain and Studying the concept of landscape as an objective- plant in that religions. subjective matter (Mansouri, 2005) seems to be the In Mountainous homelands, mountain has been best method to find precise definition of the con- having encoded meanings beside its functional cept of natural landscape and cultural landscape. role. For example, it has been intersection of earth Natural landscape is introduced as the landscape and eden, therefore has twofold Sanctity: both without any human intervention in most defini- symbol of sacred space and also appearance of At- tions; while the phrase "human intervention" seems mospheric effects like the rain, and therefore is the to be incorrect in this case. place of gods (Eliadeh, 2010: 107-106). This se- Natural landscape is the result of subjective hu- mantic function has had basic role in formation of man intervention in nature, kind of selective Inter- cultural structure of this land. vention, and is the result of human selection from nature, a result of his subjective classification of Hypothesis natural environment. Natural landscape is a Par- 1. Mount Ararat has entered Armenian culture as ticipatory landscape, in which the manipulation of the most prominent element of the nature of Arme- man is inconspicuous (Ghazanfari, 2008: 22). nia, supported by its sacred mythological place in According to Otto Schluter, Cultural landscape is Armenian beliefs. Its unit unrivaled status in natu- the landscape shaped by human culture (Ibid: 21- ral landscape led to the formation of culturally uni- 20). UNESCO introduces cultural landscape as re- fied and focused landscape, in case of spatial struc- flect of the interaction of man and nature, not only ture and geographical location. natural or man-made heritage, but also mixed Her- 2. Mount Ararat has properly played the role of a itage (Fowler, 2003: 15). In comparison, it seems landscape element, keeping its historical durability, that the cultural landscape follows natural land- has been always exposed to human intervention. scape and is born of it. While, even without notable The intervention had been more subjective at the objective intervention, natural landscape itself can beginning; gradually, with the evolution of social be upgrade to cultural landscape. This is more tak- Armenian structure, an objective intervention has ing place about cultural landscapes with a rich his- been increased. In all these stages, Mount Ararat tory and legends in the community; such as mount has kept its both cultural and natural landscape role. Damavand for the Iranian and Mount Ararat, for the Armenian. Armenia: fragmented and integrated Armenia is a highly homogeneous land in terms of Status of mountain in formation of cultural ethnic composition among the lands of Caucasus landscape in Mountainous homelands region. In a way that more than 97% of the cur- Enumerating cultural landscape consist of ethical rent territory of Armenia is Comprised of a single and Accommodational landscape, a survey on his- ethnic group. That's why this country has never tory of ancient homelands clarifies pivotal role of been exposed to the threat of decomposition (Zar- their selected natural elements in shaping cultural gar, 2008: 16).In addition, Armenian mainland is landscape of the lands. Some elements find special beyond the current borders of Armenia, including semantic function, related to natural Circumstanc- parts of the north west of Turkey as well. In fact, es. Especially in the middle-east and Caucasus Armenia has always been binary land, disputed areas, formation and durability of residential com- by neighboring superpowers (Abrahamian, 2006: munications depends on natural items as effective 331). But twofoldness has never made Armenians terms in ways and means. On the other hand, physi- forget their homeland's separated parts. As far as, cal life is always tied up with heavenly forces in Armenia is threatening territorial integrity of its these lands, and therefore, ethnical landscape has neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan, with the idea of been a part of communities, appearing as the se- "Great Armenia" and drawing the country's borders mantic part. Nature was the main column of ethnic to Mount Ararat and beyond (Zargar, 2008: 19-18 / landscape; it happened because of dependency of Amirahmdian, 2006: 33). According to Armenians, ancient religions to nature, and the belief of holi- Armenian plateau was passed by two major roads 21 jacO quarterly, Vol.2, No.4. Summer 2014 connecting the East to the West, so that Armenia Some consider the mountain's name Iranian origi- had become a battlefield of superpowers struggle nally, meaning "Gracious fire", that's probably to possess the control of roads which Ararat plain related to links between volcanic mountains, sky right in the center of the Armenian plateau ended - and sun in the ancient nature religions including (Abrahamian, et al, 1981: 6). Mithraism, as in the ancient ritual literature the It may not be clear the reason of Armenian cultural word "rat" has been mentioned in connection with durability and their insistence on maintaining sym- the ancient mountains which has been places of bols of the land; but undoubtedly Mount Ararat is worship and sacrifice (Mansouri, 2007: 128-127). the most important one of these symbols, which has While there are such concerns about Mount Ararat, now been incidentally separated from Armenia. A the climate is very dry, with low plant and porous part of Armenia's nature, which symbolizes natural texture; as the melted snow is completely absorbed landscape of the land. into the ground before reaching in scope (Bryce, 1877-1878: 176). Ararat, the myth of nature Ararat seems unreachable; Sometime climbing was Although there are some Sacred Mountains in Cau- forbidden because of its holiness (Petrosyan, 2007: casus region (Fig.1) but none can be compared 16) and today political boundaries made it out of with Mount Ararat in terms of influence, and the reach. Mount Ararat is binary in form, made of two national Credit. Mount Ararat, including two small small and large peaks. Some consider this twofold- (sis) and large (Masis) peaks is in center of Ara- ness a symbol of Armenian historical twofoldness rat plain and south part of Armenian plateau; The and its permanent division between the regional mountain and its northern plateau bring memories superpowers (Abrahamian, 2006: 331). Armenian as old as the history of Armenia, intimately linked diaspora has been an impetus for national unity. In with all the myths and legends of this land. As we the scattering pattern, chronic exile causes severe can say, these narratives led to portraying cultural homesickness irritation, such a passionate desire landscape for this natural element. to regain particular preference social mainland" According to the text In Bible, Armenians claim (Smith, 2003: 198). This feeling strongly exists in that Noah's Ark landed on Mount Ararat; And ac- Armenian thought; make a sense of continuity alive cording to Armenian legends, the mountain is ori- in their minds (Zargar, 2008: 28). Ararat has been gin of mankind and also place the Eden mentioned an ever Armenian pattern to get rid of permanent in Bible (Marshall, 2007: Introduction-xv).That is rape of Powers from East and West to Armenia, why the Armenian consider themselves first peo- as it was the savior of Noah's ark and Armenian ple on earth after the Noah storm, and for this rea- descent from the storm (Petrosyan, 2007: 19). In son call Ararat the Mother of universe (Buachidze, terms of the geographical structure, there are three 1999: 324). Mount Ararat was also regarded as a lakes in the central plateau of Armenia, named Van, sacred place before Christianity, as place of sunset Sevan and Chichest (Urmia). Aras River, emanates and hometown of heroes (Fig. 2). from Ararat, is According to some opinions one of The mountain is thought to be home of mythi- the four rivers mentioned in the Bible heaven.