Haykaberd
Encyclopedia
Haykaberd currently known as , is a fortified site in the Hayots Dzor region of historic Armenia
(now the Gürpınar district of Van Province
in Turkey
's Eastern Anatolia region
). It is located approximately 25 kilometers southeast of Van along the road leading to the city of Hakkâri
. Armenian folklore tells that the fortress was founded in the 3rd millennium BC
by Hayk, the Armenian
progenitor, in close proximity to the site where he slew the invading Babylonian King Bel
or possibly Nimrod
. It was later used by the Urartian
kings as a castle during the 8th century BC and to some extent by the medieval Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
.
as well as the remains of the Urartian royal palace of Sarduri-Hinlini, built between 764 and 735 BC during the reign of King Sarduri II
(764-735 BC). There are upper and lower sections of the fortress in which the Temple of Khaldi
, citadel walls, king's tower, workshops (7th c. BC), storehouses, cisterns, kitchen, palace with a throne room, "royal" toilet, harem and colonnaded halls were located. A moat surrounded sections of the fortress.
Traces of a later medieval occupation exist at the fortress. The site was excavated in the 1960s.
had a child named Armanak while he was living in Babylon
. After the arrogant Titan
id Bel
made himself king over all, Hayk emigrated to the region near Mount Ararat
with an extended household of at least 300 and settled there, founding a village he named Haykashen. On the way he had left a detachment in another settlement with his grandson Kadmos. Bel sent one of his sons to entreat him to return, but was refused. Bel decided to march against him with a massive force, but Hayk was warned ahead of time by Kadmos of his pending approach. He assembled his own army along the shore of Lake Van
and told them that they must defeat and kill Bel, or die trying to do so, rather than become his slaves. In his writings Movses states that:
), with the king in the vanguard.
At Dyutsaznamart , near Julamerk southeast of Lake Van
, on August 11, 2492 BC (according to the Armenian traditional chronology) or 2107 BC (according to "The Chronological table" of Mikael Chamchian), Hayk slew Bel with a nearly impossible shot using a long bow, sending the king's forces into disarray.
The hill where Bel with his warriors fell, Hayk named Gerezmank meaning "tombs". He embalmed the corpse of Bel and ordered it to be taken to Hark where it was to be buried in a high place in the view of the wives and sons of the king.
Soon after, Hayk established the fortress of Haykaberd
at the battle site and the town of Haykashen
in the Armenian province of Taron
(modern-day Turkey). He named the region of the battle Hayk, and the site of the battle Hayots Dzor
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
(now the Gürpınar district of Van Province
Van Province
Van Province is a province in eastern Turkey, between Lake Van and the Iranian border. It is 19,069 km2 in area and had a population of 1,035,418 at the end of 2010....
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
's Eastern Anatolia region
Eastern Anatolia Region
The Eastern Anatolia Region is one of seven non-administrative subdivisions of Turkey and encompasses its eastern provinces.The region and the name "Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi" were first defined at the First Geography Congress in 1941. It has the highest average altitude, largest geographical area, and...
). It is located approximately 25 kilometers southeast of Van along the road leading to the city of Hakkâri
Hakkari
Hakkâri , is a city and the capital of the Hakkâri Province of Turkey. The name Hakkâri is derived from the Syriac word, Akkare, meaning farmers...
. Armenian folklore tells that the fortress was founded in the 3rd millennium BC
3rd millennium BC
The 3rd millennium BC spans the Early to Middle Bronze Age.It represents a period of time in which imperialism, or the desire to conquer, grew to prominence, in the city states of the Middle East, but also throughout Eurasia, with Indo-European expansion to Anatolia, Europe and Central Asia. The...
by Hayk, the Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
progenitor, in close proximity to the site where he slew the invading Babylonian King Bel
Belus (Assyrian)
Belus or Belos in classical Greek or classical Latin texts in an Assyrian context refers to one or another purportedly ancient and historically nonexistent Assyrian king, such king in part at least a euhemerization of the Babylonian god Bel Marduk.Belus most commonly appears as the father of...
or possibly Nimrod
Nimrod
Nimrod means "Hunter"; was a Biblical Mesopotamian king mentioned in the Table of Nations; an eponym for the city of Nimrud.Nimrod can also refer to any of the following:*Nimród Antal, a director...
. It was later used by the Urartian
Urartu
Urartu , corresponding to Ararat or Kingdom of Van was an Iron Age kingdom centered around Lake Van in the Armenian Highland....
kings as a castle during the 8th century BC and to some extent by the medieval Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
.
Site
The fortified site of Haykaberd is a linear plan upon a ridge overlooking the Gürpınar Plain. It is composed of fortification wallsDefensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
as well as the remains of the Urartian royal palace of Sarduri-Hinlini, built between 764 and 735 BC during the reign of King Sarduri II
Sarduri II
Sarduri II was the King of Urartu . The Urartian Kingdom was at its peak during his reign. He succeeded his father Argishti I to the throne....
(764-735 BC). There are upper and lower sections of the fortress in which the Temple of Khaldi
Haldi
Haldi may refer to:* Haldi Hindi/Punjabi/Urdu/Gujarati name for the spice turmeric* Haldi River, a West Bengal river* Ḫaldi, an Urartian god* Haldi, Estonia, village in Estonia* Haldi, a Swiss family name, originally from the Saanen region...
, citadel walls, king's tower, workshops (7th c. BC), storehouses, cisterns, kitchen, palace with a throne room, "royal" toilet, harem and colonnaded halls were located. A moat surrounded sections of the fortress.
Traces of a later medieval occupation exist at the fortress. The site was excavated in the 1960s.
Hayk and King Bel
In Movses Khorenatsi's account, Hayk son of TorgomTogarmah
Togarmah third son of Gomer, and grandson of Japheth, brother of Ashkenaz and Riphat...
had a child named Armanak while he was living in Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
. After the arrogant Titan
Titan (mythology)
In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of powerful deities, descendants of Gaia and Uranus, that ruled during the legendary Golden Age....
id Bel
Belus (Assyrian)
Belus or Belos in classical Greek or classical Latin texts in an Assyrian context refers to one or another purportedly ancient and historically nonexistent Assyrian king, such king in part at least a euhemerization of the Babylonian god Bel Marduk.Belus most commonly appears as the father of...
made himself king over all, Hayk emigrated to the region near Mount Ararat
Mount Ararat
Mount Ararat is a snow-capped, dormant volcanic cone in Turkey. It has two peaks: Greater Ararat and Lesser Ararat .The Ararat massif is about in diameter...
with an extended household of at least 300 and settled there, founding a village he named Haykashen. On the way he had left a detachment in another settlement with his grandson Kadmos. Bel sent one of his sons to entreat him to return, but was refused. Bel decided to march against him with a massive force, but Hayk was warned ahead of time by Kadmos of his pending approach. He assembled his own army along the shore of Lake Van
Lake Van
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes . The original outlet from...
and told them that they must defeat and kill Bel, or die trying to do so, rather than become his slaves. In his writings Movses states that:
The Battle of Giants and Defeat of Bel
Hayk and his men soon discovered Bel's army positioned in a mountain pass (Moses of Chorene located the site as DastakertDastakert
Dastakert is a town in the Syunik Province of Armenia. It is located on a distance of 236 km south to the capital Yerevan and 127 km north-west to the city of Kapan. Dastakert was known as a town since 1951. The town is situated on the foot of the mountain Airy, at the root of the river...
), with the king in the vanguard.
At Dyutsaznamart , near Julamerk southeast of Lake Van
Lake Van
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes . The original outlet from...
, on August 11, 2492 BC (according to the Armenian traditional chronology) or 2107 BC (according to "The Chronological table" of Mikael Chamchian), Hayk slew Bel with a nearly impossible shot using a long bow, sending the king's forces into disarray.
The hill where Bel with his warriors fell, Hayk named Gerezmank meaning "tombs". He embalmed the corpse of Bel and ordered it to be taken to Hark where it was to be buried in a high place in the view of the wives and sons of the king.
Soon after, Hayk established the fortress of Haykaberd
Haykaberd
Haykaberd , currently known as , is a fortified site in the Hayots Dzor region of historic Armenia . It is located approximately 25 kilometers southeast of Van along the road leading to the city of Hakkâri...
at the battle site and the town of Haykashen
Haykashen
Haykashen is a town in the Armavir Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
in the Armenian province of Taron
Taron (historic Armenia)
Taron was a canton of the Turuberan province of Greater Armenia, now in the Muş Province, Turkey. It was divided into four districts: Mamikonian, Palauni, , Artokh Taron was a canton of the Turuberan province of Greater Armenia, now in the Muş Province, Turkey. It was divided into four districts:...
(modern-day Turkey). He named the region of the battle Hayk, and the site of the battle Hayots Dzor