The people of Hayk

By: Ahmed Ibrahim

Table of contents:
1- The people of Hayk
2- A glimpse of Masis "Ararat" Mountain
3- The origin of the Armenian language
4- Argishti I the king of Urartu
5- Anania Shirakatsi The father of Armenian math
6- Alexander Tamanian the planner of modern Yerevan
7- Taraz the Armenia's Soul and Identity
8- Pulpulaks the Armenian Fountains
9- The Music of Duduk
10- Armenian carpets from the past and the present 1
11- Armenian carpets from the past and the present part 2
12- Armenian carpets from the past and the present part 3
13- Fouad Al-Zahery the music genius
14- Georges Kazazian The Nile Musician
15- Tigrane Kazazian The Music Magician
 Introduction
Armenian culture encompasses all Armenians living anywhere in the world, as
well as the people who call Armenia home. Despite attempts by various forces
to steal their identity, the Armenian people have endured, and through them,
the Armenian culture has endured.
 The people of Hayk

Armenians are people who are the descendants of a branch of the Indo-
Europeans, they call themselves Hayq (singular: Hay), and can trace their
history back thousands of years, to the Urartians, Hurrians, and Luwians that
lived in Anatolia in the several millennia before Christ, known to the Persians
as Armina and to the Greeks as Armenioi.
Some Armenians still exhibit these historic roots and ties because these early
kingdoms passed along some of their traditions and customs to the kingdoms
that came after them.
They refer to their country as Hayastan, which is derived from the name of
Hayk, who established a significant kingdom in the area and was an ancestor of
the biblical Noah.
The suffix "-stan" is from Persian, and it was added in the Middle Ages. The
word "Armenia" has been used for around 2,500 years, and probably comes
from the name of Aram, a descendent of Hayk.

The Ancient Armenian Tribes

Ancient sub-tribes included the Zok, who spoke a different language from the
Indo-European Armenian. The Zok predominantly lived in Nakhijevan; their
capital was Akuli, and they are reputed to have developed Armenian culture in
Tbilisi. Aram Khachaturian was a Zok Armenian. Other distinct subgroups in
Armenia are the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenians of Siunik and
Vayots Dzor, the Armenians of Sevan, Northern Armenia, and the Armenians of
Western Armenia.
Numerous other sub-tribes exist, and those interested in family history should
get in touch with the Armenian Genealogical Society.

Features and formal characteristics of the Armenians

Some Armenians have darker hair and skin, while others are lighter, with
everything in between. Today, Armenia is an ethnically homogeneous country,
and while the migration is beginning to increase, it is 98% Armenian. The only
official language is Armenian, which is spoken by almost everyone, though
Russian and English are ordinary second languages.
The most common ending is -ian, derived from Persian, and we have heard
several reasons for this, the most plausible being that it denotes "son of" or
"of." Hence, Nubarian could be translated to mean "son of Nubar" or "from
Nubar."

Armenian culture
Armenian culture has remained remarkably unified over the centuries, notably
because of the adoption of Christianity (in 301 EC) and the unique Armenian
alphabet (established in 405 EC). This has created a lot of cohesion among
Armenians, even among the diaspora and communities living well beyond the
borders of modern Armenia.
 A glimpse of Masis "Ararat" Mountain

Ararat mountain 🗻"The great Masis and the lesser Masis" the folk etymology
derives the name from king Amasya, the great-grandson of the legendary
Armenian patriarch Hayk, who is said to have called the mountain Masis after
himself.
According to a legend, Hayk wanted to know how many people lived in his
nation, so he ordered each person to bring a pebble to the location of Ararat.
And people asked each other, "Are you part of this mountain?" (I.e., did you
put your stakes?). Then the word "masnis" began to sound like "masis", and
the mountain was called Masis.
When you visit the capital of “Yerevan”, you’ll notice its solemn natural
landmark, Mount Ararat. Traditionally, Mount Ararat was the symbol of the
motherland for all Armenians, and it remains so today. It was mentioned in the
Bible during the story of the Great Flood. It is visible from many parts of
Yerevan. For a breathtaking view, go to the monastery of Khor Virap, where
you will feel like you can almost touch the mountain.

Ararat Plain
It is one of the largest plains of the Armenian Highlands. It stretches west of
the Sevan Lake, at the foothills of the Gegham Mountains. In the north, the
plain borders Mount Aragats, and Mount Ararat in the south.

The city of Armash

Armash is a town in the Ararat Province of Armenia. Its soil is characterized by
salinity, which forms a layer of pottery and this appears when the water passes
over the mud cracks.

Salinization occurs when dissolved salts in water tables rise to the soil surface
and accumulate as water evaporates. Often rise in a water table is due to the
replacement of deep-rooted vegetation, such as trees, with shallower-rooted
vegetation, such as grasses. The analyses show that more than 35% of Ararat
valley lands of agricultural importance are in the insufficiently reclaimed state,
moreover, 54% of them are weakly salinized, 11,8% are averagely and strongly
salinized and 34.2% are strongly salinized.
 The origin of the Armenian language

Proto-Armenian is the earlier stage of the Armenian language, which has been
reconstructed by linguists.

The development of the Armenian language

Proto-Armenian
Classical Armenian (from 405)
Middle Armenian (c. 1100 – 1700)
Modern Armenian (c. 1700 – present)

History
The origin of the Proto-Armenian language is subject to scholarly debate. It is
assumed that the Armenian language is an in situ development of a 3rd
millennium BC Proto-Indo-European language that arrived in the Armenian
Highlands either from the Balkans or through the Caucasus, during the Bronze
Age, or, at the latest, during the Bronze Age Collapse around 1200 BC.
One of the theories about the dawn of Armenian in the region is that Paleo-
Balkan-speaking settlers related to Phrygians (the Mushki or the Armeno-
Phrygians), who already had settled in the western parts of the region before
the Van kingdom was established in Urartu, had become the ruling elite under
the Median Empire, then by the Achaemenid Empire.
The existence of Urartian words in the Armenian language and Armenian
loanwords in Urartian assumed early contact between the two languages and
long periods of bilingualism.
 Argishti I the king of Urartu

Argishti I, also known by the names Argishtis, Argisti, Argiti, and Argishtish, was
the sixth known king of Urartu, ruling from 786 BC to 764 BC. He was the son
and successor of Menua, and his son Sarduri II succeeded him. Argishti I built
the fortress of Argishtikhinili in 776 BC and the citadel of Erebuni in 782 BC

He carried out the conquests started by his forebears. He engaged in a number

of fruitless battles with Shalmaneser IV of Assyria. He established Urartu as the
most powerful state in post-Hittite Asia Minor by capturing the northern part
of Syria. By capturing a large portion of Diauehi and the Ararat Valley, he also
extended his kingdom to the north to Lake Sevan.

Urartian culture

Even though the Urartian culture was based on Mesopotamian culture, some
people believe that Urartu's architecture is superior to that of the Assyrians
because it replaces the monotonous mud-brick facades of the southern plains
and valleys with a pattern of crenellated stone towers and buttresses that are
tailored to the natural beauty of a rocky landscape. The excavation of
numerous Anatolian cities, including Karmirblur and Arin Berd, two fortress
cities in Armenia, has also uncovered some distinctive Urartian architectural
elements, most notably a typical temple design that included square, tower-
like structures that predated the temple-towers of Achaemenian times in
Persia.

Urartu grew to the west and southwest, eventually sharing a border with
Phrygia in northern Anatolia and establishing hegemony over the Luwians.As a
result, Urartu posed a significant threat to Assyria's northern border. The
Urartian kings Argishti I (780–756) and Sarduri II (755-735) conquered Kustaspi,
king of Kummuhu (Commagene), and forced him to pay tribute around 745.
Argishti I also subdued Milid. Asti-Ruwas the King of Carchemish ruled during
the Assyrian Empire's period of weakness.

However, he is not mentioned in the Assyrian documentation, which is also

lacking for the two generations after him. His existence is only known from a
few Hieroglyphic Luwian texts. It is believed that a "guardian" named Yariris
(previously known as Araras), who was once thought to be a usurper, reared
and protected the sons of Asti-Ruwas. In the introduction to one of his texts,
Yariris emphasizes his diplomatic relations with the Mysians (on the northwest
coast of Anatolia), the Muski (Phrygians), and the "Syrians" (either Aramaeans
or Urartians), who are all unmistakably the states of Egypt and Babylon. He
claims to be fluent in 12 languages and four writing systems, including
Hieroglyphic Luwian, "Syrian" (either Aramaic or Uralic), Assyrian cuneiform,
and "Taiman," a currently unidentified writing system. All of this suggests a
proactive foreign policy in a world that, despite political and linguistic
differences, is united in essence.
 Anania Shirakatsi The father of Armenian maths

Anania Shirakatsi, also known as "Ananias of Shirak," was a 7th-century

Armenian polymath and natural philosopher, the author of extant works
covering mathematics, astronomy, geography, chronology, and other fields. He
is considered the father of the exact and natural sciences in Armenia.

He was born in the village of Aneank (Shirakavan) at the beginning of the 7th
century. Furthermore, he got his elementary education in the local monastery
school, and later being eager to improve his knowledge, he went to West
Armenia.

Shirakatsi dreamt about specializing especially in mathematics, which he

considered the "mother of all sciences." "And I love the art of figures so much,"
he writes, "that I thought it was impossible to compose something without
them, honouring them as the mother of all wisdom." He had to travel a lot
around West Armenia, seeking an advanced specialist in Mathematics.

He was leaving for Constantinople, but on his way to Signup, he learns that in
Trapeze lives a great Greek scientist, Tyukhik, "a wise man, popular with the
kings, an expert on Armenian language and Literature". Shirakatsi deviated and
went to Trapeze.

Tyukhik received the young Armenian with pleasure and began to teach him.
Shirakatsi remembers his teacher with admiration and affection: "He loved me
as his own son, and he passed all his knowledge with such eagerness that my
classmates were envious," he writes.

Shirakatsi had been at Tyukhik’s school for 8 years; he became proficient in

exact science and came back to his native land with a rich knowledge base. He
established a school here and dedicated himself to teaching and research. He
wrote research works in astronomy, mathematics, geography, and other fields
of science. According to medieval sources, Shirakatsi first formed a new
Armenian calendar in 667–669 on the orders of Catholicos Anastas, with the
goal of creating a fixed one.
Unfortunately, not all the works of Ananias Shiraktsi have reached us.
According to the letter written by Armenian scientist Grigor Magistros to
Catholicon Petros in the 11th century, there was an extremely hostile attitude
toward Shirakatsi's scientific work; his works were included among the
forbidden books, and Magistros demands that Catholicon correct that
injustice.

Science and Maths accomplishments

He composed science textbooks and the first known geographic work in

classical Armenian (Ashkharhatsuyts), which provides detailed information
about Greater Armenia, Persia, and the Caucasus (Georgia and Caucasian
Albania).

His accomplishments in mathematics include the earliest known table of

results of the four basic operations, the earliest known collection of
recreational maths puzzles and problems, and the earliest book of maths
problems in Armenian.

He also devised a system of mathematical notation based on the Armenian

alphabet, although he was the only writer known to have used it.

Shirakatsi the Astronomer

He imagines the nature of the process of movement and change. The existing
old education decomposes with the passage of time, and instead a new one
occurs. On the basis of many examples from real life considered as proof of it,
he comes to the following philosophic scientific conclusion: "Existence is the
beginning of extinction, and extinction is the beginning of existence, and the
world continues to exist as a result of this non-harmful contradiction."

Shiraktsi’s point of view on Cosmography is also significant. The question

related to the shape of the earth has interested humankind for a long time.
Various approaches were expressed in different time periods. In his
cosmographic works, he gives a peculiar explanation: "I think the earth is of an
egg-shaped form," he writes. "The ball-shaped yolk is in the middle, white is
around it, and the shell surrounds everything; the same way the earth is in the
centre like the yolk, the air is around it like the white, and the sky surrounds
everything like the shell." Shirakatsi’s astronomical system is not heliocentric,
but geocentric.

Accepting the earth's egg shape, it was necessary to explain the issue of earth
balance. This question was of great interest since ancient times and different
opinions were being expressed: some people thought that the earth lay on a
gigantic elephant, others considered that it lay on a huge whale, on seas, etc.
Shirakatsi provides a unique answer to this question. He finds that it is
balanced by two opposite forces, and he writes: "The Earth tends to go down
with all its weight and the wind tries to raise it up with all of its power. That’s
why the earth doesn’t fall down, and the wind doesn’t raise it up".

In his cosmographic work, Shirakatsi tells about the Galaxy (the Milky Way) and
tries to explain its main point. Criticizing all the legends of his time, he gives a
scientific explanation concerning that issue. According to him, the Galaxy is the
same as "the mass of densely possessed and weakly shining stars."

Disagreement with scholars and the Church

Shirakatsi absolutely rejects conservative scientists’ points of view. Among

them, there are church priests who think that the moon has its own light. He
finds that the moon doesn’t have its own light and obtains light from the Sun,
which reflects the light of the ether like a mirror. According to him, it is related
to the reflection of sunlight and the change of lunar phases. The sun is in the
fifth zone of the sky, and the moon is in the 4th one. Therefore, the moon
obtains the light from above, and as the sun and the moon are in perpetual
motion around the earth at different speeds they either approach or move
away. During the period when the sun approaches the moon, its light cycle
begins to diminish and in case of moving away, it begins to enlarge.

Shirakatsi’s burial place

Ananias is traditionally thought to have been buried in the village of Anavank;
the tradition probably originated from the name of the village.
 Alexander Tamanian the planner of modern Yerevan

Alexander Tamanian was a Russian-born Armenian neoclassical architect, well

known for his work in the city of Yerevan. Tamanian was born in
Yekaterinodar, Kuban Oblast, Russian Empire (now Krasnodar, Russia) on
March 4, 1878, into the family of a banker.
He was married to Camilla Edwards, a member of the Benois family. Their sons
Gevorg (Georgi) and Yulius Tamanian also became noted architects and
continued their father's work.
Professional Career

He graduated from the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts in 1904. His works
portrayed sensitive and artistic neoclassical trends popular in those years.
Some of his early works included the mansion of V. P. Kochubei in Tsarskoye
Selo, 1911–1912; the house of Prince S. A. Scherbatov in Novinski Boulevard in
Moscow, 1911–1913; the village railway employees' housing and the
tuberculosis sanatorium at the Prozorovskaya station (now Kratovo) near
Moscow, 1913–1923; central workshops of the Kazan railway in Lyubertsy,
1916.

Tamanian created the first general plan of the modern city of Yerevan, which
was approved in 1924. His style was instrumental in transforming what was
essentially a small provincial city into the modern Armenian capital, a major
industrial and cultural centre. Neoclassicism dominated his designs, but
Tamanian also implemented a national flavour (red linings of tuff, traditional
decorative carvings on stone, etc.). Among his most famous designs in Yerevan
are the hydroelectric station (ERGES-1, 1926), the Opera and Ballet House
named after A. Spendiarian (1926–1953), the Republic Square (1926–1941),
and others. He also played a major role in the development of restoration
projects for historical landmarks in the country, chairing the Committee for the
Protection of Historical Monuments in Armenia.
Among his works in other cities of Russia, it is noteworthy to mention the
reconstruction of the Armenian Church on the Nevskiy Prospect (Avenue) in
Petersburg (1904–1906), the House of Prince Sherbatov on Novinskiy
Boulevard in Moscow (1911–1913), the Kochubey Mansion in Tsarskoeselo
(1911–1912), and the central workshops of the Kazan railroad in Lyubertsi
(1916). This is only the part that Alexander had managed to accomplish.

Tamanian’s death

Tamanian died in Yerevan on February 20, 1936, and is buried at the Komitas
Pantheon, which is located in the city centre of Yerevan.
 Taraz the Armenia's Soul and Identity

The traditional Armenian costume is dominated by the colors of the four

elements: Earth, Water, Air and Fire. According to the fourteenth-century
Armenian philosopher Krikor Tatevatsi, the Armenian costume is made to
express the ancestral soil, the whiteness of water, the red of air and the yellow
of fire. Apricot symbolizes wisdom and common sense, Red symbolizes
courage and martyrdom, Blue symbolizes heavenly justice, White symbolizes
purity.
Some of the techniques used to make these costumes have survived to this day
and are widely used in Applied Arts, others have been lost. Each province of
Armenia is distinguished by its costume and such famous centers of Armenian
needlework as, Van-vaspurakan, Karen (Erzurum), Shirak, Syunik-Artsakh,
Cilicia, stand out for their stereotypical and harmonious depiction of
ornaments, color combinations and composition.
In an Armenian family, men's clothes, especially the head of the house, were
paid special attention, as men judged the family as a whole by their
appearance.
The traditional Armenian costume for men consisted of a low-collared silk or
cotton shirt with a side clasp which was paired with wide trousers made from
dark wool or cotton. Over the shirt was worn a cotton or silk arkhalig, a jacket
with a low collar fastened from the waist down with hooks or small buttons.
 Pulpulaks the Armenian Fountains

A pulpulak is a public water fountain common in Armenia and the Armenian-

populated Artsakh Republic. The word pulpulak is colloquial and derives from
the sound of the murmuring of water "pul-pul", suffixed with "ak", meaning
"water source." They are rarely referred to as tsaytaghbyur, meaning "squirt
spring".

The country indeed has abundant water resources. About 96% of drinking
water is groundwater drawn through boreholes, wells, and springs.
Pulpulaks are a special part of Armenian culture. First, pulpulaks appeared in
the streets of Yerevan in the 1920s and, over time, became extremely popular.

They are small, usually one meter tall, stone memorials with running water,
often fed by a mountain spring. Some pulpulaks are erected in memory of
dead relatives. In drinking from a memorial pulpulak, passers-by give their
blessing to the person in memory of whom it is constructed. Memorial
pulpulaks are related to khatchkars.

Yotnaghbyur "Seven Springs", is the name of the famous pulpulak in Yerevan’s

Republic Square. It was erected by Spartak Gndeghtsyan in 1965. It was
restored in 2008 by Moscow-based Armenian designer Nur.
 Armenian carpets from the past and the present 1

The word "carpet" first appears in Armenian literature in the translation of the
Holy Bible from the 5th century AD. Another interesting name is "khali" or
"ghali," which derives from the Arabic name for the city known for its carpet-
weaving craftsmanship, Karin (Kalikala).
Tufted rugs or knotted carpets that have been made in Armenia or by
Armenians since before the arrival of Christianity, roughly 1,000 BC, are
examples of Armenian carpets, but they are not the only ones. There are also
several flat-woven textiles included. The term covers a large variety of types
and sub-varieties.

The oldest complete surviving Armenian carpet, made between the 5th and
3rd centuries BC, is on display at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg,
Russia.

Art and Craft

Armenian rugs had a lot of rituals, images, and ideal ornaments. The
ornaments used in Armenian carpets were also widely used in sculpture,
miniature painting, architecture, and silverware. Armenian rugs had
harmonious colours of red, white, blue, green, and yellow and their variants.
The yellow colour comes from the yellow flower, the red colour from Armenian
cochineal (vordan karmir) and the roots of dyer’s madder (Rubia tinctorm),
green and some shades of brown from nut peels. For black, they used
pomegranate peels. For blue, they used the method of mixing different
colours, but more often than blue, they used indigo, a famous colourant that
was imported from India. In the Middle Ages, Armenian carpets were very
renowned for their shades made of vordan karmir, for which reason they were
also called "red rugs" during the Arabic period.
One of the characteristics of Armenian rugs is the "Balbas" sheep wool that
was used as a raw material. Anchorian goat wool was also widely used. They
also used silk and cotton in the regions where cotton and silk cultivation were
developed.
Authentic Armenian carpets

Most experts believe the credit goes to Armenian rug makers for the unique
funeral accessory. The carpets were not the average area rug or floor mat, but
were enormous commercial pieces, often reaching as much as 600 square feet
in size. Prayer rugs used by Arabs were often Armenian-crafted rugs, despite
the history of talented Oriental carpet makers within the Islamic world.
Because of the fall of parts of Turkey to the Egyptian Mamluks in the 13th
century, Armenians fled their homeland to Poland, Iran, Crimea, and
Transylvania, where beautiful carpets appeared as refugees shared their
weaving secrets with their neighbours.

Mughal carpets from India, Polonaise carpets from Poland, and Persian carpets
were all directly influenced by the work of expert Armenian rug makers. Shah
Abbas of Persia sent 100,000 Armenians to new homes in New Julfa, located
outside Isfahan, Iran.
The transplants received silk and established trade outposts in India to help
build a thriving market for the Persian leader. Suddenly, cultures throughout
the area where the Armenians settled started to produce incredible carpets
that included many Armenian traits.

The Armenian Genocide

During the Armenian Genocide of 1915, much of the history and talent for rug
making were lost because of the killing of between 600,000 and 1.5 million
Armenians and the forced deportation of many others. Armenians kept up
with their traditions and retained their skills despite the struggle and loss of
their homeland. Soviet control also sought to wipe out the tradition of carpet-
making among Armenian populations.
Conformity and control as per traditional Soviet orders resulted in bland
carpets manufactured and sold throughout the area. However, Soviet control
is only a memory as Armenians finally have their freedom again.

Carpets in modern-day Armenia

Armenian production facilities are bringing attention to the heritage of the

country's carpet-making culture. The facilities have made it possible for the
world to finally experience a true Armenian creation. As more than 1,000 locals
can now support their families through their age-old trade, more than 10,000
square feet of Armenian carpets arrive in the market for Western consumers.
Update: An Armenian friends told me that actually carpet derives from
the Armenian word car = waving, sewing, pet = master. So carpet means
master of weaving.
 Armenian carpets from the past and the present 2

According to Marco Polo, who lived in the 13th century, the Armenians and
Greeks who resided on Asia Minor's western coast, produced the world's finest
carpets.
The Armenian Rugs Society was established in 1980 to find as many rugs with
Armenian inscriptions as possible and classify them based on design and
technical analysis. Sheep, naturally occurring plant materials for dyes, and the
most significant metal salts, copper, tin, and alum, from the volcanic soil, all
contributed to the synthesis of the essential mordants that stabilized the dyes.
The mission of the Armenian Rugs Society, founded in 1980, was to find as
many rugs as possible with Armenian inscriptions and categorize them
according to design and technical analysis. It would be reasonable to assume
that similar rugs without inscriptions should be attributed to Armenian
craftsmanship if several rugs of a particular type were discovered to have
Armenian inscriptions.

Armenian rugs of Artsakh

Carpets from Karabakh are unique compared to others; they are a distinctive
variety and are very well-liked. One of the famous symbols of Karabakh carpets
is a medallion. Most likely, this symbol originates from the posters of popular
Armenian princes. Another common symbol is a crowned bull, which in ancient
times was a very revered animal.
In 2013, Karabakh saw the establishment of the "Karabakh Carpet" company,
which creates handcrafted carpets in the traditional Artsakh style.
The "Karabakh Carpet" company, which manufactures traditional Artsakh
handmade carpets, was established in Karabakh in 2013.

How can Caucasian rugs be distinguished?

The pattern cannot be used to classify Caucasian rugs in the same way that it
can be with Persian and Turkish rugs. Rug patterns were widely dispersed and
inexorably copied because rugs were frequently traded throughout the area.
To identify and classify Caucasian rugs, their construction must be examined.
This includes the variance in the colour of the warp, the arrangements of the
strands, and the dyed colour of the weft, the way the ends are finished, the
way the sides are bound, and the quality of the wool (i.e., coarseness vs.
luster).
Given that they are consistent with motifs found in Armenian manuscripts and
relief sculptures on Armenian churches and monasteries, these animal figures
and crosses are thought to have a religious significance. The cross shapes,
human figures, and geometric bird and animal figures found in many of the
inscribed Armenian rugs are uncommon in non-Armenian rugs. These animal
figures and crosses are believed to have a religious significance, as they are
consistent with motifs seen in Armenian manuscripts and relief sculptures on
Armenian churches and monasteries.
The inscribed Karabakh rugs frequently make use of red cochineal dye, which
has been proven to be made by Armenians.
 Armenian carpets from the past and the present 3

The invention of the Armenian alphabet in 406 A.D. marked the beginning of
the golden age of Armenian literature. The literature, artwork, and illuminated
manuscripts produced during this period shed light on the importance of the
role of the carpet in Armenian society as well as the history of oriental rugs in
general.
The written histories and heroic tales contain references to the Armenian rug.
There are numerous depictions of Armenian carpets in famous illuminated
manuscripts and royal and religious miniature paintings made by Armenian
artists.
Exaggerated rugs, woven with gold or silver threads, were placed on the
thrones and at the feet of Armenian royalty.

Ecclesiastical uses of Armenian rugs

The Armenian Church regarded the Armenian rugs as treasures of the church.
Even though prayer rugs are currently associated with Islam, historical records
show that Armenian prayer rugs were made by Armenians long before the 7th-
century rise of Islam.
To commemorate a special event, such as a royal wedding, or to honour the
dead, rugs were woven and placed on coffins during royal funeral processions
before being buried with the coffin.

The process of carpet weaving

Although Armenian inscriptions mention male weavers, provincial village
women were the essential rug weavers. The rugs were all made of wool, which
was easily obtainable in the area.
Cotton was used only for weft threads and edging. According to Arthur T.
Gregorian, "Armenian rugs are woven firmly with the nap clipped very low,
making the rugs supple and soft." "A great preference is shown for delicate
shades of soft blue with touches of green, coral, old gold, and tans." All the
patterns are outlined in either natural brown or wool dyed to this shade.
The weavers knew that, over time, this brown colour would fade faster than
the other colours; thus, it was used for outlining motifs. This colour was
obtained by using iron pyrite in dyeing the wool.
 Fouad Al-Zahery the music genius

Fouad Grabit Panosian "Fouad Al-Zahery" was an Egyptian musician of

Armenian origin. He was born in Egypt on 15 October 1916, graduated from
the Freire School and obtained a certificate of competence. His sponsorship by
the Palestinian professor Konstanti Al-Khoury had a significant impact on his
learning to play the violin.

He was able to join the Fouad I Institute of Arabic Music. He succeeded in

studying the violin as a disciple under the Polish professor Alexander
Kontrowicz, and after graduating, he was appointed a teacher of songs at the
Ministry of Knowledge. In 1942, he participated in the choir of the Church of
St. Joseph as a violinist and succeeded in composing many musical pieces that
met with a lot of success, including (Call for Freedom, and the Legend of Wafaa
al-Nil).

He then continued his work where he worked as a professor at the Institute of

Performing Arts, and some of his works were broadcast by Middle East Radio.
He was also a music observer at Egyptian Radio. He left us on 1 October 1988

His artworks include:

Karamet zawgaty
El-Qahera 30
Rod Qalbi
Shee' mn El-azab
El-Zoga El-thania
Bedaia we Nehaia
Seraa fe El-Meena
Thalath Nesaa
Bab El-Hadid
Haza hwa El- hob
La anam
Eskandria leeh
El-mar'a al-laty ghalabt El-Shaitan
Hob w Kebria'
Endama yaskot Al-gasad
Marzooka
Lyaly Lan Taaood
El-hob wahdo la yakfi
Hayaty Azab
Abo Hadid
Sawa' Nos El-leel
Shayateen El-leel
La tatroukni wahdi
Laenet Al Zaman
Whoosh El-Meena
Sobyan w Banat
Hadeth Al Nesf Metr
El-Nas Elly Taht
Al-Zawag Al-Saeed
4-2-4
Endama Noheb
Al-Rajol Al-Akher
 Georges Kazazian The Nile Musician

An Egyptian - Armenian musician, composer and oud player, born in Cairo in

1953. He completed his musical training as a self-taught artist.
His music defines the essence of the river Nile, ever-living symbol of Egypt`s
ancient civilization. Georges found the popular Egyptian musical instruments
extremely sophisticated, he loved the tones and over the years he turned them
into highly unique colours that reflect the ancient and the modern spirit of
Egypt.

Like father like son

Georges Kazazian's son, Tigrane Kazazian, is also a composer, oud player and
multi-instrumentalist. Georges and Tigrane collaborate through the Nour
project, with performances at The Opera House in Cairo, Egypt, in 2017 and in
Yerevan, Armenia, in 2016.

Music

Kazazian composed the soundtracks for the films: (The Wife of an Important
Man, Hunger, and Conqueror of Time), and also set the soundtracks for several
documentaries, including: (Before the Pyramids, Ramses II, and The Dance of
Love).
He also released several albums such as (Sabil, Sajaya, Al Janoub, Azraq).
Throughout his artistic career, Kazazian performed many concerts throughout
Europe, in addition to several shows inside Egypt, especially at El Sawy
Culturewheel.

Albums

Sabil (1991)
Sagate (1997)
Sajaya (1997)
Le concert de Nanterre avec Pedro Soler, Kudsi Erguner, Renaud Garcia Fons,
Keyvan Chemirani (1997)
Nil Sangit (1999)
Suite "al Ganûb" (1999, 3-CD set)
Monaga (2001)
Azraq (2002)
Dayra Jazz (2002)
Neel Dhun (2008)
Zafir (2008).
Meeting By The Nile with Rahul Sharma (2009).

Documentary soundtracks

The Egyptian Museum by M.Islam (1979)

Temples of Upper Egypt by M.Islam (1979)
The Citadel by M.Islam (1979)
Ramses The Second by Shadi Abdel Salam (1980)
Before The Pyramids by Shadi Abdel Salam (1981)
The Third Circle by M Zakaria (1988)
Love Dance by Ihab Shaker (1992)
Silent Dialogue by Ali El Ghazouli (1999)
Les hommes oubliés de la vallée des Rois by Jérôme Prieur – France (2002)

Feature films

Hunger by Ali Badrakhan (1985)

Kaher El Zaman by Kamal El Sheikh (1986)
The Wife of an Important Man by Mohamed Khan (1988)
The Lady of Cairo by Moumen El Semehi (1991)
Ruis Blas by Jacques Weber (2003)
An extract of the album Sabil was featured in the film "Factory Girl" by
Mohamad Khan (2013)
 Tigrane Kazazian The Music Magician

Tigrane Kazazian is a French-Armenian composer, singer, oud player and multi-

instrumentalist, who plays avant-garde, folk, and world music-inspired original
compositions and was born at the foot of The Giza Pyramids on April 9, 1987,
in Cairo, Egypt, to a composer and oud player, Georges Kazazian, and a
historian, Anne Le Gall-Kazazian.

Talent since childhood

At six years old, he would draw his father’s instrument, the oud. Fifteen years
later, while listening to Georges Kazazian’s works, he discovered his own
musical language and talent for composition. Tigrane Kazazian expresses
himself through the oud.

Tigrane was far from music growing up, as his father never imposed music on
him, so he focused on tennis from the age of 5 to 17, aiming for a career in the
sport, He played tennis at a high level, competing in Egypt and France.
At 17 years old, he left Egypt to spend some time in France and returned to
Cairo to study at the American University of Cairo. In 2007, Tigrane left for
Canada to continue his studies at Concordia University in Montreal. Upon
returning for a short break in Cairo, he borrowed an instrument (oud) from
Georges, his father, and began his creative quest, self-teaching himself the
oud, the guitar, and the piano.

He has lived in Egypt, France, and Canada and is currently based in Armenia.

The starting spark

He moved to Armenia to study at the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan,

in 2012.
Furthermore, he and his father, Georges Kazazian, formed the Nour Project
following an invitation by the Ministry of Culture of Armenia, in 2016.
He formed the Kazazian trio, with renowned percussionist Eduard Harutyunyan
and Duduk player Arsen Petrosyan, an artist nominated for Best Artist in the
Songlines Music Awards, in 2018.
Kazazian signed a deal with Gum (Green United Music) and Cezame Agency as
the exclusive publishing company for his album Cairo Nights, in 2020.
His album, Cairo Nights, was published by Green United Music. In the same
year, his music was featured in documentaries including:
1915: le Génocide des chrétiens en Turquie
2 mois après le drame: les chrétiens se relèvent by France 2 and on RTS Swiss
Radio, in 2021.

In addition he formed the Tigrane Kazazian Quartet. The Quartet gave its first
three concerts in Armenia as part of the Francophonie Organization, in 2022.
Tigrane also collaborated with Swiss composer-musician Albin Brun in a show
commemorating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between
Switzerland and Armenia on April 21, 2022, in Yerevan, Armenia.

Discography

"A Lifelong Love Part A - Still Love"

"A Lifelong Love Part B - Still Love"
"Nowhere Now Here - Now Here"
"Watching The Flames - Nar"
"Shifting Sands - Moving Sands"
"Streams And Rivers - Love Stream"
"Blooming At Night Part A - Lila"
"Blooming At Night Part B - Lila"
"Enlightening The Way - La Voie"
"A Dialogue Part A - Dia-Logue"
"A Dialogue Part B - Dia-Logue"
"Cairo Nights Part A - Cairo Nights"
"Cairo Nights Part B - Cairo Nights"
"Whitewashed Walls - Baleares"