​

The Armenians are an ancient people. Archeologists continue to uncover evidence that the Armenian Highlands were one of the earliest sites of human civilisation.

Recent excavations in the Armenian Highlands have unearthed fossil skulls 1.7m years old.

 

The Armenian Highlands also had a rich variety of native fruits and cereals ands it was one of the first regions to make the transition from hunting to farming some 10,000 years ago.

 

There is evidence that the rich geology of the region contributed to tool making, metallurgy and pottery from as early as 6000 years ago.

 

The earliest mention of "Armenians" were in Akkadian inscriptions dating back to 28th century BC. 

 

The name Urartu was given by the Assyrians (1400 BC). It was called Urashtu by the Babylonians and Ararat in Hebrew.

 

The geographical region of Urartu was centred around Lake Van and extends to the Taurus Mountains to the West and Eastward to modern day Armenia.

 

We often assume Ararat as being only the mountain that Noah's Ark landed upon but in fact it covers an entire region that included the mountain and the Armenian Highlands

(Modern day Armenia)

 

After the disappearance of Urartu as a political entity, the Armenians dominated the highlands, absorbing portions of the previous Urartian culture in the process.

The Armenians became, thus, the direct successors of the kingdom of Urartu and inherited their domain. Urartu is to Armenians what ancient Britons are to the English, and Gauls are to the French.]

 

The Urartian written language was by way of Hieroglyphics and Cuneiform.

 

The Armenian alphabet has been used to write the Armenian language since the year 405 AD. It was introduced by St Mesrop Mashtots an Armenian linguist and ecclesiastical    

leader, and originally contained 36 letters. Two further letters were added in the middle ages "O" & "ֆ".

 

The Armenians have always had a passion for writing so it should be no surprise that the written script is venerated even to-day.