The term “Armenian Highlands” first appeared in 1843 in a monograph by Hermann Wilhelm Abich. This is a Russian-German geologist researcher who spent some time in the Transcaucasus, and then introduced this name of the area into use. Today, there are numerous disputes about its belonging as a heritage to the Armenian people. However, in the article we will consider different points of view, as well as the physical prerequisites for the emergence of the terrain.
How did the Armenian Highlands appear?
This territory belongs to the Alpo-Himalayan mountain system. In ancient times, it was covered by 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 paleontologists, this 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 Highlands, Tibet (since these are nearby areas) and their rise from the waters of the ocean is as follows.
As a result of the collision of Eurasia and the Arabian ledge, Gondwana appearedCaucasus and Armenian Highland. The collision of Hindustan and Eurasia led to the fact that the sedimentary layers of the ocean floor, which lay between the two plates, crumpled and rose up. This led to the formation of the Himalayas, Tibet and other high mountains in the area.
During the Neogene period, the highlands split many times under the influence of internal volcanoes. Lava, which was poured out through cracks in the earth's crust, smoothed out the folding of the highlands. It covered almost the entire surface of this territory with bas alt strata. Today, the highlands are located in Western Asia. On four sides, it is surrounded by other territories - the Asia Minor and Iranian highlands, the Black Sea and Mesopotamian plains.
Mountain formations of the area
The Armenian highlands have a large number of high ridges, large chains of volcanic cones, as well as individual extinct volcanoes. Mount Ararat is considered the highest point of this territory. It has a height of 5165 meters. Smaller Ararat (3925 meters) and Syuphan (4434 meters), which are located in Turkey, are somewhat smaller. In Armenia there is Mount Aragats, which has a height of 4090 meters, and in Iran - Sabalan (4821 meters) and Sahend (3707 meters).
What territories are included in the Highlands
You should also list what territories are on this elevation, what it includes. For example, the massif of the Armenian Highlands is the entire territory of Turkey and Armenia, the western part of Iran and Azerbaijan, and the south of Georgia.
Features of the territory
This highland is considered one of the mostlarge of those formed by lava. As mentioned above, its origin is such that in different periods of the Earth, this territory underwent colossal changes in its structure. Either it rose to the surface from the sea as a result of a collision of plates, which led to a folded structure, or it 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 Highlands today is 1500-1800 meters above sea level. This is much larger 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 km.
It should be noted that it is here that the sources of many rivers are located, for example, the Euphrates, Tigris, Araks, Kura. Almost every river in the Armenian Highlands is filled with melting snow and rain. Also, the water basin of the area is made up of numerous lakes (the largest are Sevan, Van, Urmia).
An ancient state in the highlands
This area has always had a population. Since the geological formation was stopped, it has taken on a modern appearance. Of course, confirmation of some state formations can only be found in mythological chronicles or in cuneiform writings of other peoples (more studied).
The most ancient state in the Armenian Highlands, which has documentary evidence andarchaeological (excavations), called Urartu. It existed from the 9th century BC. e. until the 6th century BC. e. During its heyday, the state of Urartu occupied one of the main places in Western Asia. When it fell into decay, i.e., was conquered by the Medes, this territory became part of the Achaemenid state.
Further formations on this territory of states boiled down to the fact that in the II century BC. e. here Great Armenia was formed, which is the beginning and cradle of modern Armenians.
Armenia claims that the great state of Urartu is also the ancient ancestors of the Armenians. However, such a statement is debatable, since there is no reliable evidence for this statement. Some scientists believe that many facts are simply falsified.
Legacy of the Ancients
Whatever it was, but in the highlands, especially in recent times, amazing artifacts have been found that tell us how our ancestors lived, what were their customs, way of life, etc. The ancient state on the territory The Armenian highlands, it turns out, left their legacy to us, their descendants.
Archaeological excavations near Mount Portasar led to the fact that a whole temple complex was discovered here, which dates back to an older period than even the Egyptian pyramids (thus, it can be argued that the people who lived here in antiquity already had higher level of development). So far, four temples have been found, and sixteen more are expected to be found.
Two hundred kilometers fromA building was found in Yerevan, which in its form resembles Stonehenge, but has a more ancient origin. It consists of numerous vertically standing pillars with through holes in the upper part. Moreover, if you look from above at Karavunj (the name of this structure), then we can say that its outlines resemble the constellation Cygnus.
Secrets left by the ancestors
One of the unsolvable mysteries that occupy the minds of scientists are several items found on the territory of Armenia. One of them is a figurine of a bird, which was found in Eastern Armenia in the seventies of the last century. The fact is that its age is at least three thousand years, and the material from which it is made is unknown to modern times. No modern tool could damage it.
Another find that amazed scientists was an iron bit for a horse. They date from the same time as the found bird, but are surprisingly well preserved. Moreover, it should be noted that iron products were first made about a thousand years later.
Thanks to these findings, some scientists believe that the birth of the first civilizations occurred a little earlier than was commonly believed. Some even claim that they arose exactly on the site of the modern Armenian Highlands about twelve thousand years ago.
Some controversy related to this area
There is a heated debate among researchers about the name of the area. Some argue that it reflects the historical prerequisites for the fact that Armenians have lived here for centuries. These researchers believe that it was the indicated people who first settled this territory in ancient times. They also talk about the exclusivity of the Armenians, because the highlands where they lived is the cradle of all civilizations. Confirmations are found 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. Regarding the name, they refer to the fact that only in 1843 it entered into historical use thanks to Heinrich Abich. During the trip, he was accompanied by representatives of the Armenian Church, as well as Armenian figures, as a result of which everything he saw was presented as a heritage of Armenian culture. This part of the researchers claims that historically Armenia belonged to completely different lands, for example, Herodotus, who mentions this people in his writings, speaks of Armenians located in the upper reaches of the Euphrates, near Phrygia and in a small part of the mountains near the beginning of the Galis River.
If we consider the name of the highlands, then in ancient times it was known as al-Zazavan. Ibn Haukal (an Arab author of the 10th century), who described these lands in his writings, speaks of numerous evidences of Turkic and Azerbaijani (traditions and customs, life, etc.). In addition, researchers consider it wrong to think that it was in this area that the biblical events of the Flood took place,only because of some parts of Noah's ark found in this area.
Be that as it may, it is now very difficult to know for sure about the events that took place in ancient times in this area. Of course, if you do not invent a time machine. Therefore, all disputes should be based only on facts obtained through excavations and research of found items.
Conclusion
The Armenian highland is an area with an ancient history and is rich in memorable finds of ancient settlements and peoples. Those assumptions made by historians and researchers of the region about the most ancient times are difficult to both refute and confirm. A simple layman can only admire unusual finds and imagine how ancient ancestors used them.
