Our Treasures: Biblical Mount Ararat

    Within the framework of the project “Let’s Recognize Ourselves” I had a desire to introduce the history of our biblical mountain, which you can find below.

The Armenian plateau is mountainous, the highest peak of which is Great Masis or Ararat – 5165 metres, and 5170 metres – according to newly made measurements. The name Masis for the first time was mentioned as Masou in the third millennium BC, in “Gilgamesh”, the first Sumerian epic of the human history. The name Masis has several etymological explanations: 1. It was derived from the name of goddess Ma, who dwelt on the tops of high mountains (sis), hence the name Masis – mountain of Ma. 2. The name Masis was derived from the name of patriarch Hayk, who lived in Armavir city, in front of the mountain as Movses of Khoren gives information about it. 3. The name Masis was derived from the biblical name of Masek. Jewish leader Abraham sent away his son Isaac in order to separate him from his sons born of other wives. He sent his concubine Masek and her son Eliezer to the north – to Armenia. The name Masis was derived from Masek’s name.

The name Ararat as a synonym of name Masis for the first time was mentioned as Arardou in 714 BC, in the inscription of the invasion to Armenia initiated by King Sargon II of Assyria. The name Ararat in its direct form was first mentioned in Bible, in the book of Genesis of the Old Testament, and it was related to the world flood and Noah’s ark. According to historian Movses of Khoren, the name of Mount Ararat was derived from the name of patriarch Ara, and mostly it was called mountain of Ara. Mount Ararat was called differently by foreign peoples: the Turks call it Agheri dagh (heavy mountain), the Persians – Kouheh Nouh (Noah’s mountain), the Arabs – haris (mountain of Arians). A series of earthquakes that had taken place from ancient times caused a landfall on Great Masis, which was later called abysm of Masis, where St. James monastery, built on the bank of River Ghino, was located. The monastery was ruined by the earthquake of 1840.

Since ancient times Masis has drawn the attention of travelers and scholars. It has been doomed as a sacred mountain. According to French traveler Roubrouc, no one should climb Masis, as it is the mother of the earth.

In the course of centuries, Masis was a hunting place for Armenian kings, and according to Yakoub, an Arab traveler of the 13^th century, the grave-stones and treasures of Armenian kings were located there.

Masis with its relative height is the highest mountain in the world. Its relative height is 4200-4300 meters. And this relative height conveys charm to Masis. Thanks to its magnificence Masis is considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the world and mostly thanks to the fact that it stands with its entire magnificence in front of observers. One of the famous French scholars stated that there is not any more beautiful and central peak in the world, than Masis.