Armenia

Armenia, a district of western Asia, lying between Georgia and Mingrelia N., the mountains of Kurdistan S., the Caspian Sea E., and the river Euphrates W. Its precise extent has been variously fixed at different epochs, but the inhabitants have from time immemorial possessed distinctive racial characteristics, though within historical memory they have seldom been politically independent. We first hear of Armenia as subject to the Medes, and it followed the fate of Media until reduced to a Roman province in 106 A.D. At the disruption of the Empire, for a short period an attempt was made to set up a native dynasty, but the Seljukian Turks seized the country in the eleventh century, and ultimately it was divided between Turkey and Persia, Russia obtaining a share later on. The Turkish portion constitutes the province of Erzeroum, the Persian that of Azerbijan, and Russia claims the government of Erivan, the limits of which have been frequently extended. The chief Turkish towns are Erzeroum, Kars, and Van. Urumiyah is the only important place in Persian Armenia, whilst Russia holds Erivan, Akhalzikh, Echmiadzin, Ordubad, and Alexandropol. Armenia occupies a plateau intersected by lofty mountains, of which Ararat is the central and highest peak. The rivers Euphrates, Tigris, Aras, and Kur rise within its borders. The climate is temperate and even severe in winter on the higher levels. In the valleys and plains the soil is fertile, producing all kinds of cereals, cotton, hemp, tobacco, and raw silk. The chief wealth of the country, however, lies in its mineral resources, hardly as yet developed. Naphtha is now exported in increasing quantities, bitumen, sulphur, nitre, and other volcanic products abound, and the mountains yield gold, silver, copper, lead, iron, and valuable marbles. The Armenians embraced Christianity at the end of the third century, and established a church which has retained its individuality to the present day, differing from other forms of Christianity in supporting hereditary priesthood, and adhering to the doctrines of Eutyches and the Monophysites. They have four patriarchs, the chief of whom has his abode at Echmiadzin, and their religion is exercised under Russian protection. Armenia is calculated to have an area of about 90,000 square miles. The Armenians suffered terrible atrocities at the hands of the Turks during 1894-1897, and their numbers were diminished. The Armenians, who call themselves Haikan, from Haig, mythical founder of the race, are a distinct branch of the Caucasic stock, intermediate in physical type between the Aryan and Semitic divisions, but on account of their language usually classed as Aryans. They are tall and well made, though inclining to obesity, with dolichocephalic head, large black eyes deeply set in the orbits, long oval face, large aquiline nose, hair normally black, altogether with a somewhat Jewish cast of countenance. Though the bulk of the people still occupy their native land, many are scattered, like the Jews, in more or less numerous communities over a wide area extending from Great Britain to India; and like them they everywhere show the same preference for trade over other pursuits, and the same tenacious adherence to the national speech, religion, and usages. The Armenian language holds a middle position between the Iranic and Slavic branches of the Aryan stock, and probably represents an independent branch formerly diffused throughout Asia Minor and the West Iranian highlands. It is written in a peculiar character derived from the Syriac through the Pahlavi (F. Lenormant) and attributed to Mesrob, Apostle of the Armenians early in the fourth century. Since that time the language has been cultivated chiefly under Hellenic influences, and possesses numerous literary remains, especially historical and theological. The old ecclesiastical language is now represented by two modern varieties, the eastern current in Armenia and thence eastwards to India, the western spoken by the Armenian communities in Turkey, Crimea, and Europe generally. Since the sixth century the Armenian Church professes Eutychian doctrines, and forms one of the six distinct "rites;" it is administered by a regular hierarchy with numerous bishops and four patriarchs, of whom the chief resides at Erivan. Many are "Uniates," that is, recognise the supremacy of the Roman pontiff, while retaining their national liturgy. The Armenian nation numbers about 2,000,000, of whom 820,000 are in Russia, 750,000 in Turkey in Asia, 250,000 in Turkey in Europe; 150,000 in Persia; 50,000 elsewhere.