Ara, the Aralez and Astghik (Shamiram)

The following is an AI assisted summary of the Armenian work "Արայ Գեղեցիկ" (Aray/Ara Gełec‘ik/Geghetsik/Gèetsik) by Dr. Alexander Matikian (Archive.org Link), a comprehensive scholarly exploration of Armenian mythology, focusing on the figure of Ara the Beautiful and related mythological themes like the Aralez, the Myth of Er, and Dying-and-rising Gods. It discusses the origins, variations, and interpretations of Armenian legends, especially in relation to Greek, Semitic, and neighboring cultures’ mythologies. The author presents a detailed comparative analysis of Armenian mythological motifs, their historical development, and their connections with foreign traditions, emphasizing the importance of preserving and understanding indigenous Armenian mythic heritage.

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Summary of key themes:

• Indigenous Armenian origin: The myth of Ara the Beautiful is rooted in ancient Armenian nature worship and ancestral traditions, predating Greek and Semitic influences.

• Comparison with other Indo-European deities: Similarities with the gods like Ares, Eros, and their associated dawn goddesses like Ushas, Nane, Shardi, Astghik, Greek Artemis, and other mother or maiden goddesses suggest a common Indo-European heritage. There are several similarities with Cybele and Attis.

• Transformation over time: The original divine maiden or mother goddess was gradually transformed through cultural contact, especially under Hellenistic and Near Eastern influences, leading to confusion or conflation with foreign deities like Ishtar and Shardi.

• Themes of love, death, and resurrection: The myth contains motifs of divine love, death, and renewal, reflecting the cycles of nature and human life.

• Natural elements as divine symbols: Mountains, rivers, stars, and celestial bodies act as personifications of divine forces, central to the original myth.

• Foreign influences and local adaptations: Greek, Babylonian, and other Near Eastern myths have left their mark, but the core Armenian myth retains its unique indigenous character.

• Cultural significance: These myths are vital to Armenian identity, symbolizing the spiritual connection with nature and the ancestral worldview.

• Research and preservation: The author advocates for further scholarly work to recover and preserve these ancient traditions, emphasizing archaeological and folkloric studies.

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Astghik and Shamiram

The scholarly exploration into Armenian mythology, particularly centered on the myth of Ara the Beautiful, reveals a rich tapestry of indigenous beliefs intertwined with foreign influences from Greek and Near Eastern cultures. Central to this mythological framework are the divine figures of Ara, Astghik, and Shamiram (Semiramis), whose stories and symbolism reflect core aspects of Armenian spiritual and cultural identity.

The work begins by establishing that the original Armenian divine maiden or mother goddess, embodied in the myth of Ara the Beautiful, was rooted in ancient Armenian nature worship. She represented fertility, natural beauty, and the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. The myth's natural elements—mountains, rivers, celestial bodies—are seen as divine personifications, emphasizing the sacred relationship between the Armenian people and their landscape.

Astghik as a Key Divine Figure

A significant part of the analysis highlights Astghik, the Armenian goddess of love, beauty, and water, who is often considered a counterpart or an extension of the archetype of the divine maiden. Unlike Ara’s broader connection with nature and fertility, Astghik’s worship is more focused on love, romantic union, and the life-giving waters—symbolized by springs, rivers, and lakes. Her cult was widespread in Armenia, with temples and rituals dedicated to her, reflecting her importance in the spiritual life of the ancient Armenians.

Astghik’s role is closely linked to the mythological motif of divine love and harmony. She is sometimes depicted as the consort of Vahagn (the god of fire and war) or as a celestial maiden associated with the evening and morning star (Venus, Լուսաբեր). Her imagery often includes flowers, water, and the heavens, reinforcing her connection to beauty and fertility.

Shamiram (Semiramis) and Her Armenian Legend

The work further explores the figure of Shamiram (Semiramis), a legendary Assyrian queen and goddess, whose myth and legend have deep connections with Armenian traditions. Historically, Semiramis has been associated with the goddess Ishtar and with themes of divine rulership, fertility, and war. Over centuries, her myth was adopted, transformed, and integrated into Armenian legends, where she was sometimes viewed as a divine or semi-divine figure linked to the god/goddess Ara or Astghik.

The author emphasizes that Shamiram’s legend, especially in Armenian folk traditions, bears traces of the older goddess archetype—embodying fertility, divine protection, and royal authority. She is often depicted as a powerful maternal figure, embodying both creative and destructive forces, much like the original mother goddess archetype present in Armenian mythology.

Connections and Transformations

The interaction between Astghik and Shamiram reflects the syncretic evolution of Armenian mythology, where indigenous goddess traditions merged with foreign deities. While Semiramis (Shamiram) was historically a queen, her myth in Armenian tradition often carries divine or semi-divine qualities, linking her to the archetype of the mother goddess or divine maiden. Her association with fertility, water, and divine rulership echoes the original Armenian goddess Ara’s attributes.

The author discusses how these figures—Ara, Astghik, and Shamiram—are interconnected within the mythological landscape. Astghik’s emphasis on love and water complements Ara’s broader natural and fertility themes, while Shamiram’s legendary status as a powerful queen connects her with themes of divine sovereignty and maternal protection. Over time, these figures blended and evolved, reflecting Armenia’s historical interactions with neighboring cultures and the resilience of indigenous beliefs.

Themes of Love, Fertility, and Divinity

The myths surrounding Astghik and Shamiram highlight the enduring importance of divine femininity in Armenian mythology. They symbolize not only fertility and beauty but also divine authority, protection, and the cycle of life. Their stories often involve themes of divine love, death, resurrection, and the divine right to rule—paralleling the natural cycles of the earth and the cosmos.

Cultural Significance and Preservation

The work underscores the importance of recognizing these figures as integral to Armenia’s cultural and spiritual history. Modern interpretations should aim to recover the indigenous character of these myths, acknowledging their deep roots in Armenian tradition, even as they have been influenced and reshaped by external cultures over centuries.

The author advocates for further research—archaeological, folkloric, and comparative—into these goddesses’ stories, emphasizing their role in shaping Armenian identity. Preserving and understanding the myth of Ara, Astghik, and Shamiram allows for a richer appreciation of Armenia’s ancient worldview, emphasizing the sacred connection between the people, their land, and their divine protectors.

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Myth of Er

Connecting the Myth of Er with the legend of Ara, both stories explore the themes of death, the afterlife, and the possibility of renewal. In the Myth of Er, souls undergo judgment and choose their future lives based on their moral conduct, echoing the Armenian cultural motif of moral virtue influencing one's fate beyond death. Ara’s death, though tragic, is often seen as a form of sacrifice that elevates him beyond mere mortality, suggesting the hope of spiritual resurrection or eternal remembrance—concepts resonant with the idea of the soul’s journey in the Myth of Er.

Er, son of Armenios (Ἀρμένιος), from Pamphylia, dies in battle. When the bodies of those who died in the battle are collected, ten days after his death, Er remains undecomposed. Two days later he revives on his funeral-pyre and tells others of his journey in the afterlife, including an account of metempsychosis and the celestial spheres of the astral plane.

Furthermore, both stories emphasize the importance of moral virtue and the idea that death is not the end but part of a larger cosmic cycle. In Armenian tradition, Ara’s enduring legacy and the hope of his eventual return mirror Plato’s notion that souls are caught in an ongoing cycle of rebirth, striving toward divine justice and moral perfection. The intertwining of love, sacrifice, and the hope for spiritual renewal in Ara’s legend aligns with the philosophical themes of the Myth of Er, illustrating a shared cultural belief in the possibility of transcendence beyond mortal life.

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