Coat of arms of Armenia
Coat of arms of Armenia Հայաստանի Զինանշան | |
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The national coat of arms of Armenia (Armenian: Հայաստանի զինանշանը, Hayastani zinanshan) was adopted on April 19, 1992, by resolution of the Armenian Supreme Council. On June 15, 2006, the Armenian Parliament passed the law on the state coat of arms of Armenia.
It consists of an
History
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Emblem of Artsruni dynasty
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Coat of arms ofVarazhnunis
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Coat of arms ofZakarids
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Coat of arms ofProshyans
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Coat of arms of the Rshtuni dynasty
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Coat of arms of the Bagratunis
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Coat of arms of Hamazaspyan-Mamikonyans
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Coat of arms ofRubeniandynasty
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Coat of arms of Leo I
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Emblem of Hetumian dynasty
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Coat of arms of the Lusignan, kings of Cyprus, Jerusalem and Cilicia
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Coat of arms of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
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Coat of arms of the king of Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
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Coat of arms of Tumanyans
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Coat of arms of Melikyans
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Version of coat of arms of Hasan-Jalalyan dynasty
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Coat of arms of Hasan-Jalalyan dynasty
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Coat of arms of Armenia from the German armorial. 15th century
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Coat of arms of Greater Armenia from the German armorial. 16th century
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Coat of arms of Atabekians house of Lord
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Small coat of arms of Atabekians house of Lord
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Coat of arms of Arutins
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Coat of arms of Lazaryan family
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Coat of arms of PrincesAbamelek-Lazarev
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Coat of arms of Melikovs
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Argutinsky-Dolgorukov family coat of arms (1798-1862)
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Coat of arms of Armyanskaya Oblast
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Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Armenia (project)
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Coat of Arms of Erivan Governorate
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coat of arms of Armenia incoat of arms of Russian empire
Coat of arms of the First Republic of Armenia
The present-day Armenian coat of arms has its origins with the establishment of the First Republic of Armenia in 1918. In that year, an early variation of the coat of arms was adopted. The symbols on this earlier version were placed in a slightly different order and the eagle and lion have their tongues out, giving them a more menacing look. Only Mount Ararat (along with Little Ararat) are depicted while Noah's Ark is absent. The coat of arms was designed by architect and member of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts Alexander Tamanian and artist Hakob Kojoyan.[2]
Transcaucasian SFSR
In 1922, Armenia was incorporated into Transcaucasian
Soviet coat of arms
In 1937, a new coat of arms was adopted. Like the coat of arms of the first independent republic, this one prominently featured Mount Ararat along with the Soviet
Symbolism
Shield
The shield itself consists of five components. In the center is a depiction of the Mount Ararat with Noah's Ark sitting atop it. According to tradition, the ark is said to have finally rested on the mountain after the great flood. Ararat is considered the national symbol of Armenia and thus is of principal importance to the coat of arms. Surrounding Mount Ararat are symbols of old Armenian dynasties. In the lower left portion of the shield, there are two eagles looking at each other, symbolizing the length of the Armenian territory during the reign of the Artaxiad dynasty that ruled from the second century B.C. to the beginning of the Christian era. In the upper left portion, there is a lion with a cross, the emblem for the Bagratuni dynasty that ruled during the Middle Ages, between the 9th and 11th centuries. Under this dynasty, Armenia blossomed culturally, making its capital, Ani, one of the most important cultural, social and commercial centers of its time.[4] The Bagratuni kingdom was destroyed by the Byzantine Empire's encroachment and by Seljuk conquests in the 11th century. In the upper right portion, there is a two-headed eagle, the emblem of the first dynasty to reign over Christian Armenia, the Arsacid dynasty, which ruled from the first century to 428. Tiridates III made Armenia the first country to adopt Christianity as official religion in 301. In the lower right portion, there is a lion with a cross, the emblem of the Rubenid dynasty. This dynasty reigned in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, a state that expanded and prospered during the 12th and 13th centuries, until the Mamelukes eventually conquered it in 1375.
Eagle and lion
The eagle supports the shield on the left side of the coat of arms, while the lion on the right side. The eagle was the symbol of the Artaxiad dynasty and later on the symbol of the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia. It holds the Artaxiad dynasty's branch of the shield. Whereas, the lion was the symbol of the Bagratuni dynasty and later on the symbol of the Rubenid dynasty. It holds the Rubenid dynasty's branch of the shield. The eagle and the lion are a common theme for civilizations on the Armenian Highland. As such they have been represented throughout various Armenian dynasties.
Both of these animals were chosen because of their power, courage, patience, wisdom, and nobility in animal kingdom.
About the symbol ascribed to the Arshakids in the coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia (double-headed eagle)
Since 1920, the symbol of the two-headed eagle on the shield of the RA coat of arms has been attributed to the Arshakid dynasty. Despite the lack of direct evidence, a comparative analysis of the available pictographic, chronicle, and bas-relief materials leads us to conclude that the double-headed eagle could refer to Arshakid Armenia, with the only difference being that the symbol in the coat of arms of Armenia does not represent the Arshakid dynasty itself, but their era and fame, being a synthesis of the two-headed eagle of the Mamikonyans and the same eagle of the Armenian Church established by the Arshakids.[5]
Five vital elements
Source:[1]
- The sword represents the power and strength of the nation, breaking the chains of oppression.
- The broken chain represents effort shown by the nation to gain freedom and independence.
- The wheat ears represent the hard working nature of the Armenian people.
- The feather represents the intellectual and cultural heritage of the Armenian people (as a quill pen).
- The ribbon represents the colors of the flag of Armenia blue, the sky, orange, courage (Noah's Ark), red, 1.5 million deaths on the genocide.
Use
The coat of arms of Armenia may be used on the monetary units, orders and medals of Armenia.[6]
See also
- Coat of arms of the Republic of Artsakh
- Emblem of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic
- Flag of Armenia
References
- ^ a b "Flag and Coat of Arms". Armenica.org. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
- ^ "State symbols of the Republic of Armenia". The Office to the President of the Republic of Armenia. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
- ^ Louis, Victor and Jennifer. The Complete Guide to the Soviet Union. New York, 1976. p. 98
- ^ "Armenia: Coat of arms". CRW Flags. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
- ^ "Avetisyan Vahe, About the Symbol ascribed to the Arshakids in the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Armenia (Double-Headed Eagle)(Ավետիսյան Վահե, ՀՀ զինանշանի արշակունիներին վերաբերվող խորհրդանշանի մասին), Arm armia, N 2, 2020, p. 100-101" (PDF).
- ^ "The Law of the Republic of Armenia On the coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia".
External links
- "Armenia: Coat of arms" at Flags of the World
- "The Evolution of the Armenian Flag" at the Wayback Machine (archived April 4, 2001)
- Armenica.org – Symbolic values and information about the Armenian flag and coat of arms
- National Coat of Arms of the Republic of Armenia – Official website
- Atlas of Conflicts: Examples of Old Armenian Heraldry