Gusans
Encyclopedia
Gusans were creative and performing artists - singers, instrumentalists, dancers, storytellers, and professional folk actors in public theaters of Parthia
and ancient and medieval Armenia
.
The word gusan is first mentioned in the classical Persian text Vis o Rāmin by Fakhruddin As'ad Gurgani in the eleventh century. It was originally thought to have been a personal name. However in the 19th century Kerope Patkanov
identified it as a common word possibly meaning "musician" and suggested that it was an obsolete Persian term, currently found in a form of a loanword in Armenian
. In 1934 Harold Walter Bailey
linked to origin of the word to the Parthian language. In Hrachia Acharian
's opinion the word was borrowed into Parthian from Armenian govasan "praiser", then borrowed back into Armenian as gusan. According to Mary Boyce
, poetry and music was a common way to spend leisure time among rich Parthians who would hire a gusan to perform in their homes. The practice was so popular that each noble family had gusans residing with them on and passing on their skills on a hereditary basis.
In the early Middle Ages
the word gusan was used as an equivalent to the classical Greek word mimos (mime). There were 2 groups of gousans:
1. the first were aristocratic feudal lord dynasties and performed as professional musicians.
2. the second group comprised popular, but illiterate gousans.
The gousans were sometimes criticized sometimes praised particularly in medieval Armenia
. The adoption of Christianity
had its influence upon Armenian minstrelsy, gradually altering its ethical and ideological orientation.
The center of gusans was Goghtn
gavar - a region in the Vaspurakan
province of Greater Armenia and bordered with province of Syunik
.
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
and ancient and medieval Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
.
The word gusan is first mentioned in the classical Persian text Vis o Rāmin by Fakhruddin As'ad Gurgani in the eleventh century. It was originally thought to have been a personal name. However in the 19th century Kerope Patkanov
Kerope Patkanov
Kerope Petrovich Patkanov was an Armenian scientist-orientalist, professor of Saint Petersburg University; in 1863 he obtained the master degree for his eastern literature study ; in 1864 he obtained the doctor degree in literature for "The Study of the Composition in the Armenian language".-...
identified it as a common word possibly meaning "musician" and suggested that it was an obsolete Persian term, currently found in a form of a loanword in Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
. In 1934 Harold Walter Bailey
Harold Walter Bailey
Sir Harold Walter Bailey , who published as H. W. Bailey, was an eminent English scholar of Khotanese, Sanskrit, and the comparative study of Iranian languages....
linked to origin of the word to the Parthian language. In Hrachia Acharian
Hrachia Acharian
Hrachia Hakobi Acharian was a prominent Armenian linguist, etymologist and philologist, Professor, Academic of Armenian Academy of Sciences, a member of French Linguistic Association and Czechoslovakian Institute of Oriental studies.He studied at...
's opinion the word was borrowed into Parthian from Armenian govasan "praiser", then borrowed back into Armenian as gusan. According to Mary Boyce
Mary Boyce
Nora Elisabeth Mary Boyce was a British scholar of Iranian languages, and an authority on Zoroastrianism...
, poetry and music was a common way to spend leisure time among rich Parthians who would hire a gusan to perform in their homes. The practice was so popular that each noble family had gusans residing with them on and passing on their skills on a hereditary basis.
In the early Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the word gusan was used as an equivalent to the classical Greek word mimos (mime). There were 2 groups of gousans:
1. the first were aristocratic feudal lord dynasties and performed as professional musicians.
2. the second group comprised popular, but illiterate gousans.
The gousans were sometimes criticized sometimes praised particularly in medieval Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. The adoption of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
had its influence upon Armenian minstrelsy, gradually altering its ethical and ideological orientation.
The center of gusans was Goghtn
Goghtn
Goghtn , also known as Goghtan, was a region in size and location similar to the current Ordubad region of Nakhichevan. Goghtn was the 33rd region of Vaspurakan and remained part of it until 737 AD....
gavar - a region in the Vaspurakan
Vaspurakan
Vaspurakan was the first and biggest province of Greater Armenia, which later became an independent kingdom during the Middle Ages, centered around Lake Van...
province of Greater Armenia and bordered with province of Syunik
Syunik
Syunik is the southernmost province of Armenia. It borders the Vayots Dzor marz to the north, Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave to the west, Karabakh to the east, and Iran to the south. Its capital is Kapan. Other important cities and towns include Goris, Sisian, Meghri, Agarak, and Dastakert...
.