Astghik
Encyclopedia
In the earliest prehistoric period Asdghig, commonly referred to as Asya, Astghik, or Astlik, had been worshipped as the Armenia
n pagan deity
of fertility and love http://www.projectdiscovery.net/Journal%20of%20Armenian%20Archaeology/vishap_stones_petrosyan.htm, later the skylight had been considered her personification, and she had been the wife or lover of Vahagn
. In the later heathen period she became the goddess
of love
, maidenly beauty
, and water sources and springs.
Vartavar
festival devoted to Astghik that had been celebrated in mid July, transformed in Christian holiday of the Transfiguration of Christ, and is still celebrated by the Armenians. Like in the heathen time on the day of this fest the people release doves and sprinkle water on each other with wishes of health and good luck.
With Aramazd
, the father of all deities, the creator of heaven and earth, (the sun being worshiped as his personification) and Anahit
that had been worshiped as Great Lady and Mother Deity (the moon being worshiped as her personification) she forms an astral trinity in the pantheon of Armenian heathen deities. In period of Hellenistic influence Astghik became similar to the Greek
Aphrodite
and the Mesopotamian Ishtar
.
Her name is the diminutive of Armenian , meaning "star
", which through Proto-Indo-European
*h₂stḗr is cognate
to Sanskrit stṛ, Avestan star, Pahlavi star, Persian sitara´, Pashto storai, Latin and Italian stella and astro, French astre, Spanish astro, German stern, English star, etc. hence, the name is not believed to be related to Semitic Ishtar
.
Her principal seat was in Ashtishat (Taron), located to the North from Mush, where her chamber was dedicated to the name of Vahagn, the personification of a sun-god, her lover or husband according to popular tales, and had been named "Vahagn's bedroom".
The temples and places of worship of Astghik had been located in other towns and vilalges, such as the mountain of Palaty (to the South-West from Lake Van), in Artamet (12 km from Van), etc.
The unique monuments of prehistoric Armenia, "višap" vishaps (Arm. višap ‘serpent, dragon’) or “dragon stones”, spread in many provinces of historical Armenia – Gegharkunik, Aragatsotn, Javakhk, Tayk, etc. are another manifastation of her worship http://www.projectdiscovery.net/Journal%20of%20Armenian%20Archaeology/vishap_stones_petrosyan.htm.
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n pagan deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
of fertility and love http://www.projectdiscovery.net/Journal%20of%20Armenian%20Archaeology/vishap_stones_petrosyan.htm, later the skylight had been considered her personification, and she had been the wife or lover of Vahagn
Vahagn
Vahagn was a god worshiped anciently and historically in Armenia. Some time in his existence, he formed a "triad" with Aramazd and Anahit. Vahagn was identified with the Greek Heracles. The priests of Vahévahian temple, who claimed Vahagn as their own ancestor, placed a statue of the Greek hero...
. In the later heathen period she became the goddess
Goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....
of love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
, maidenly beauty
Beauty
Beauty is a characteristic of a person, animal, place, object, or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure, meaning, or satisfaction. Beauty is studied as part of aesthetics, sociology, social psychology, and culture...
, and water sources and springs.
Vartavar
Vartavar
Vartavar is a festival in Armenia where people of all ages drench each other with water. Its name is a derivative from “vard” in Armenian, which stands for “rose” in English.-Origin:...
festival devoted to Astghik that had been celebrated in mid July, transformed in Christian holiday of the Transfiguration of Christ, and is still celebrated by the Armenians. Like in the heathen time on the day of this fest the people release doves and sprinkle water on each other with wishes of health and good luck.
With Aramazd
Aramazd
Aramazd is the principal deity in Armenia's pre-Christian pantheon. He was considered the father of all gods and goddesses, the creator of heaven and earth. Aramazd was the source of earth’s fertility, making it fruitful and bountiful. The celebration in his honor was called Amanor, or New Year,...
, the father of all deities, the creator of heaven and earth, (the sun being worshiped as his personification) and Anahit
Anahit
Anahit was the goddess of fertility and healing, wisdom and water in Armenian mythology. In early periods she was the goddess of war. By the 5th century BC she was the main deity in Armenia along with Aramazd.- Temples dedicated to Anahit :...
that had been worshiped as Great Lady and Mother Deity (the moon being worshiped as her personification) she forms an astral trinity in the pantheon of Armenian heathen deities. In period of Hellenistic influence Astghik became similar to the Greek
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
Aphrodite
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
and the Mesopotamian Ishtar
Ishtar
Ishtar is the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex. She is the counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to the cognate north-west Semitic goddess Astarte.-Characteristics:...
.
Her name is the diminutive of Armenian , meaning "star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
", which through Proto-Indo-European
Proto-Indo-European language
The Proto-Indo-European language is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European languages, spoken by the Proto-Indo-Europeans...
*h₂stḗr is cognate
Cognate
In linguistics, cognates are words that have a common etymological origin. This learned term derives from the Latin cognatus . Cognates within the same language are called doublets. Strictly speaking, loanwords from another language are usually not meant by the term, e.g...
to Sanskrit stṛ, Avestan star, Pahlavi star, Persian sitara´, Pashto storai, Latin and Italian stella and astro, French astre, Spanish astro, German stern, English star, etc. hence, the name is not believed to be related to Semitic Ishtar
Ishtar
Ishtar is the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex. She is the counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to the cognate north-west Semitic goddess Astarte.-Characteristics:...
.
Her principal seat was in Ashtishat (Taron), located to the North from Mush, where her chamber was dedicated to the name of Vahagn, the personification of a sun-god, her lover or husband according to popular tales, and had been named "Vahagn's bedroom".
The temples and places of worship of Astghik had been located in other towns and vilalges, such as the mountain of Palaty (to the South-West from Lake Van), in Artamet (12 km from Van), etc.
The unique monuments of prehistoric Armenia, "višap" vishaps (Arm. višap ‘serpent, dragon’) or “dragon stones”, spread in many provinces of historical Armenia – Gegharkunik, Aragatsotn, Javakhk, Tayk, etc. are another manifastation of her worship http://www.projectdiscovery.net/Journal%20of%20Armenian%20Archaeology/vishap_stones_petrosyan.htm.