The Armenian nation: A journey through the centuries

2026-02-09 - 18:46

I have often reflected on my journey to Armenia, trying to understand the historical path of an ancient nation across the centuries. My first encounter with Armenian culture came through a television documentary on the Armenian Genocide and the shared fate of the Christians of Asia Minor, Thrace and Cyprus — Greeks and Assyrians alike. From there, I began to inquire more deeply into Armenian civilization and was struck by the elaborate architecture of Armenian monasteries and the intricate stone carvings of the khachkars. I soon realized that Armenians had attained an exceptionally high standard of aesthetics, particularly in architecture, stone sculpture, manuscript design, painting and music. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know. The Armenian subject — with its archaeological, Christian, sociological, cultural and artistic dimensions — sparked a deep curiosity to explore this ancient civilization and its impact on Western civilization. I embarked on several photographic journeys to Western Armenia, Cilician Armenia, the Armenian churches of Constantinople and the Black Sea region, the Republic of Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian monastery of Magaravank in Cyprus. I would study, visit, photograph, contemplate and draw conclusions. When asked by Turkish authorities why I focused on Armenian sites, my answer was simple: because they are the most beautiful. Click to view slideshow. I came to the conclusion that Armenians are an ancient Mesopotamian people, stemming from Urartu and the Hurrians, indigenous to the plateau of Lake Van and Mount Ararat — the natural and historical homeland of the Armenian nation. Indigenous to Upper Mesopotamia, Armenians came into contact with the peoples of Lower Mesopotamia, such as the Assyrians, at times peacefully and at times violently, over control of the fertile Armenian plateau and the usurpation of the kingdom of Urartu and its treasures. The Assyrian trading center of Kanesh in Gesaria (Kayseri) attests to Assyrian expansion via the Euphrates and Tigris rivers into the Armenian plateau, where they established colonies and markets. The historical continuity of the Armenian nation — from the ancient Mesopotamian civilization of Urartu to the modern Christian Armenian people — was evident along the shores of Lake Van. On one side stood Urartian fortresses with cuneiform inscriptions; on the other, Armenian monasteries, including the imposing Surp Tovmas Monastery. It felt as if the ancient Armenians were engaged in a silent dialogue with their Christian descendants across the waters of Lake Van. Christian Armenians built their cities beneath the fortresses of their Urartian ancestors, maintaining historical continuity. Urartian castles atop the hills of the Armenian Highlands overlook major Armenian cities such as Harpoot, Palu, Kars and Erebuni (Yerevan). Another striking example of continuity is Urfa, where Christian Armenians built their neighborhoods and churches atop the hill of an ancient Armenian cemetery — the burial ground of their ancestors. The splendor of Ani exemplifies the heights achieved by Armenian architecture. Architect Trdat, a leading figure of Armenian architectural tradition, built the Cathedral of Surp Arakelots in Ani and was later summoned to Constantinople by the Eastern Roman Empire to reconstruct the dome of Hagia Sophia after it collapsed. The monasteries of Artsakh demarcate and safeguard the eastern frontier of Western civilization. Amaras Monastery testifies to the legacy of St. Gregory the Illuminator and underscores Armenia’s decisive contribution to the spread of Christianity, as the first state to adopt Christianity officially in the fourth century. Click to view slideshow. Other renowned Armenian architects, such as members of the Balyan family, were employed by the Ottoman state to construct major imperial landmarks in Constantinople, including Topkapı Palace, Dolmabahçe Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, Çırağan Palace, Ortaköy Mosque and Nusretiye Mosque. I photographed these varied expressions of Armenian architecture: the majestic Surp Arakelots Cathedral of Ani built by Trdat; the zhamatun (gavit) of Horomos Monastery with its magnificent stone dome depicting the four Evangelists and the Gagik dynasty; the tuff-built cities of Yerevan and Bitlis; the white-stone Armenian mansions of Aintab; the multistory homes of Arapgir; the bourgeois residences of Gesaria; and the proud, defiant houses of Zeytun. Comparing the images I gathered from across Armenian lands, it became clear that Armenian architecture evolved in diverse artistic directions over the centuries, shaped by geography, building materials and historical and socioeconomic conditions. Volcanic tuff was used in Yerevan and Bitlis, while white ashlar stone characterized the architecture of Aintab. I climbed the hill of Surp David Aprank near Erzincan and stood in awe before the finely carved khachkar at its summit—a spiritual monument serving as a bridge between the human and the divine. Eager to learn more, I visited the History Museum of Armenia in Yerevan. I was deeply moved by paintings depicting the suffering of the Armenian people under Ottoman rule — scenes painfully familiar to Greek history, as well: churches converted into mosques, Christian women forced into harems, death marches during the genocide, injustice and sorrow everywhere, alongside an enduring yearning for freedom and salvation. I read about Euphrates College in Harpoot, founded in 1852 by Armenians educated in the United States. Most of its professors were tortured and murdered during the genocide. I attended the National Opera in Yerevan and immersed myself in Armenian music, later listening to the folk song collections of Soghomon Soghomonian (Komitas), a musical genius whose life was shattered after witnessing the atrocities of 1915. It became clear to me that Armenians had reached remarkable levels of achievement in commerce, political thought, education and the arts — one of the reasons they became targets of hatred by neighboring Turks and Kurds, who sought to appropriate their creations. I noted several historical milestones in the long chain of violence against Armenians: The partition of Armenia in 387 and 591 between the Eastern Roman Greeks and Persians The partitions of 1555 and 1639 between the Ottomans and Persians Forced migrations to Cilicia in the 11th century Forced relocation to Persia in 1555 The Hamidian massacres (1894–1896) The Adana massacre (1909) The Armenian Genocide (1915) Population exchanges between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 1988 The assassination of Hrant Dink (2007) The Artsakh War of 2020 and subsequent occupation and ethnic cleansing The genocidal methods — premeditated and systematic — were repeated across Western Armenia, Cilicia, Artsakh, Asia Minor, the Black Sea region, Thrace, Constantinople and the islands of Imbros, Tenedos and Cyprus: invasion, extermination, expulsion, appropriation, occupation and denial. Deportations and death marches involved theft, assault, rape, kidnapping, enslavement and murder. Armenian and Greek children were kidnapped and raised as Janissaries, turned into soldiers against their own people. Resistance arose in places such as Zeytun, Urfa and Musa Ler, yet Christians were largely abandoned by the West despite ample documentation by witnesses. Click to view slideshow. I sought to understand why Armenians endured repeated genocides. I reached several conclusions: Fear of Armenian independence movements threatening Turkish territorial integrity, as was the case with the Balkan peoples, who had gained their independence in the Balkan Wars (1912-13). The ideologies of pan-Turkism and pan-Islamism, aimed at eliminating Christian populations in an effort to unite Turkic tribes and states. The formation of modern Turkish identity through the destruction of Armenian and Greek presence in Asia Minor and Upper Mesopotamia; confiscation, appropriate or destruction of Armenian and Greek property, cultural and religious heritage; and the exploitation of Armenian and Greek knowledge in commerce, political science, education and the arts. Systematic denial and falsification of Armenian and Greek history by modern Turkey. Continuation of genocide through the occupation of Artsakh and the expulsion of its indigenous Armenian population. Genocide of memory through education and media. My journey across Armenian lands became a profound journey of knowledge and self-knowledge — an exploration of the roots of Asia Minor and Upper Mesopotamia, regions that shaped Western civilization and Christian values. To understand the present and justify historical claims, one must know the past. Historical consciousness requires study, remembrance, humility and resilience. This was my Armenian experience. Thank you for so much beauty, which has enriched my life. All photos are courtesy of the author unless otherwise noted.