The Armenian highlands are a mountainous region in the north of the Near East. Ancient State in the Armenian Highlands

For the first time the term "Armenian Highland" appeared in 1843 in the monograph of Hermann Wilhelm Abich. This is a Russian-German geologist, who spent some time in Transcaucasia, and then introduced the name of the area. To date, numerous disputes have been taking place about its belonging to the Armenian people as a heritage. However, in the article we will consider different points of view, as well as physical prerequisites for the origin of the terrain.

How did the Armenian Highlands?

This area belongs to the Alpo-Himalayan mountain system. In ancient times it was covered with the waters of the ancient Tethys ocean, which is confirmed by excavations and finds in the layers of the earth: various remains of corals, fish, mollusks, etc. For palaeontologists it is a good opportunity to study various representatives of the flora and fauna of that time. And the reason for the formation of the Caucasus Mountains, the Armenian Highland, Tibet (since these are nearby areas) and the ascent from the ocean waters is the following.

As a result of the clash between Eurasia and the Arabian Gondwana, the Caucasus and the Armenian Highlands appeared. The collision of Hindustan and Eurasia led to the fact that the sedimentary layers of the ocean floor, which lay between the two slabs, crumpled and rose skyward. This led to the formation of the Himalayas, Tibet and other high mountains of this locality.

In the Neogene period, the highlands split many times under the influence of internal volcanoes. Lava, which was poured out through the cracks of the earth's crust, smoothed the folding of the highlands. It covered almost the entire surface of this territory with basalt strata. To date, the highlands are in the Near East. On the four sides it is surrounded by other territories - the Asia Minor and Iranian highlands, the Black Sea and Mesopotamian plains.

Mountainous formations of the locality

The Armenian highlands have a large number of high ridges, large chains of volcanic cones, and also some extinct volcanoes. The highest point of this territory is the mountain of Big Ararat. It has a height of 5165 meters. Somewhat smaller is Small Ararat (3925 meters) and Syuphan (4434 meters), which are in Turkey. Armenia has a mountain Aragats, which has a height of 4,090 meters, and in Iran - Sabalane (4821 meters) and Sahend (3707 meters).

Which territories are included in the highland

Also, you should list which territories are on this elevation, what it includes. For example, the massif of the Armenian highland is the whole territory of Turkey and Armenia, the western part of Iran and Azerbaijan, the south of Georgia.

Features of the territory

This highland is considered to be one of the largest of those formed by lava. As mentioned above, its origin is such that in different periods of the Earth this territory underwent enormous changes in its structure. Then it rose to the surface from the sea as a result of a collision of plates, which led to a folded structure, then split, releasing a large amount of lava from the bowels of the earth. It should be noted that some mountains that are on the highlands are extinct volcanoes (for example, Ararat), and the territory itself is considered seismically unstable.

The height of the Armenian highland to date is 1500-1800 meters above sea level. This is much more than the neighboring Iranian plateau and the Anatolian plateau. If we talk about the area of the highlands, then it is equal to 400 thousand square kilometers.

It should be noted that here are the sources of many rivers, for example the Euphrates, the Tigris, the Araks, the Kura. Almost every river of the Armenian highland is filled with melting snow and falling rain. Also, the water basin is composed of numerous lakes (the largest are Sevan, Van, Urmia).

An ancient state in the highlands

This territory has always had a population. Since the geological formation was terminated, it has assumed a modern appearance. Of course, confirmation of some state formations can be found only in mythological chronicles or in cuneiforms of other peoples (more studied).

The most ancient state on the Armenian plateau, which has documentary evidence and archaeological (excavations), is called Urartu. It existed from the IX century BC. E. Before the VI century BC. E. In the heyday of the state of Urartu occupied one of the main places in the Near East. When it fell into decay, that is, it was conquered by the Medes, this territory became part of the Achaemenid state.

Further formations on this territory of states were reduced to the fact that in the II century BC. E. Here was formed the Great Armenia, which is the beginning and the cradle of modern Armenians.

Armenia claims that the great state of Urartu is also the ancient ancestors of Armenians. However, such a statement is controversial, since there is no reliable evidence of this assertion. Some scientists believe that many facts are simply falsified.

The Legacy of the Ancients

Whatever it was, but on the territory of the highlands, especially in recent times, find amazing artifacts that tell us how our ancestors lived, what their customs were, how they lived, and so on. The ancient state on the territory of the Armenian highlands, it turns out, Left her legacy to us, her descendants.

Archaeological excavations near Mount Portasar have led to the discovery of a whole temple complex dating back to an earlier period than even the Egyptian pyramids (thus, it can be argued that the people living here in ancient times already had a higher level of development) . For today, four churches have been found, it is supposed to find sixteen more.

Two hundred kilometers from Yerevan, a structure is found that resembles Stonehead in its form, but it has a more ancient origin. It consists of numerous vertically standing poles, which have through holes in the upper part. And if you look down on the Karavunj (the name of this structure), then you can say that its outlines resemble the constellation Cygnus.

Mysteries left by ancestors

One of the unsolvable secrets that occupy the minds of scientists are several items found in Armenia. One of them is a figurine of a bird found in Eastern Armenia in the seventies of the last century. The fact is that its age is not less than three thousand years, and the material from which it is made is unknown to the present day. No modern instrument could damage it.

Another discovery that struck scientists was iron tips for a horse. They date from the same time as the bird they found, but they were remarkably well preserved. And it should be noted that the products made of iron began to be made for the first time somewhere a thousand years later.

Thanks to these findings, some scientists believe that the birth of the first civilizations occurred somewhat earlier than was generally believed. Some even claim that they originated exactly in the place of the modern Armenian upland about twelve thousand years ago.

Some contradictions related to this locality

As for the name of the area, there are heated debates among the researchers. Some argue that it reflects the historical prerequisites for the fact that Armenians lived there from time immemorial. These researchers believe that it was the said people who first settled this territory in ancient times. They also talk about the exclusivity of Armenians, because the highlands where they lived are the cradle of all civilizations. Confirmations are in various ancient manuscripts, during archaeological excavations, even in one of the ancient books - the Bible.

However, other researchers are skeptical of all such conclusions. As for the name, they refer to the fact that it was only in 1843 that it entered historical usage thanks to Heinrich Abihu. During the trip he was accompanied by representatives of the Armenian church, as well as Armenian figures, as a result of which all that he saw was presented as a legacy of Armenian culture. This part of the researchers claims that historically Armenia belonged entirely to other lands, for example, Herodotus, who mentions this people in his writings, speaks of the Armenians in the upper reaches of Euphrates, near Phrygia and in a small part of the mountains near the beginning of the river Galis.

If we consider the name of the highlands, then in ancient times it was known as Az-Zazavan. Ibn Haukal (Arab author of the 10th century), who described these lands in his works, speaks of numerous testimonies of Turkic and Azerbaijani (traditions and customs, everyday life, etc.). In addition, the researchers consider it wrong to think that it was in this area that the biblical events of the World Flood took place, only because of some parts of Noah's ark found in this territory.

Be that as it may, it is now very difficult to know for sure about the events that took place in antiquity in this area. Of course, if you do not invent a time machine. Therefore, all disputes should be based only on the facts obtained through excavation and research of found objects.

Conclusion

The Armenian highland is a place that has an ancient history and is rich in memorable finds of ancient settlements and peoples. Those assumptions that historians and researchers of the region make about the most ancient times are difficult both to refute and to confirm. A simple inhabitant can only admire unusual finds and imagine how they used the ancient ancestors.