Astłik[1] or Astghik (Armenian: Աստղիկ) was the Armenian goddess of fertility and love, and consort of Vahagn. In the later pre-Christian period she became the goddess of love, maidenly beauty, and of water sources and springs.[2]
| Astłik Աստղիկ | |
|---|---|
| |
 Small statue of Aphrodite-Astłik 2nd-1st century BC, found from Artaxata, today in History Museum of Armenia | |
| Other names | Astghik, Astgik, Astxik |
| Major cult center | Ashtishat |
| Gender | female |
| Ethnic group | Armenian |
| Festivals | Vardavar |
| Consort | Vahagn |
| Equivalents | |
| Greek | Aphrodite |
| Roman | Venus |
The Vardavar festival devoted to Astłik that was celebrated in mid July became the Christian holiday of the Transfiguration of Jesus, and is still celebrated by Armenians. As in pre-Christian times, people release doves and throw water on each other.
One tradition says she was Noah's daughter, born after his flood.[3]
Mythology
editAstłik was originally the goddess creator of heaven and earth, and was later demoted to the position of "maiden". This change in the pantheon occurred as Aramazd became creator and Anahit became known as Great Lady and Mother Deity (the moon being worshipped as her personification). They form a trinity in the pantheon of Armenian deities. In the period of Hellenistic influence, Astłik became similar to the Greek Aphrodite and the Mesopotamian Ishtar.
Etymology
editHer name is the diminutive of the Armenian աստղ astł,[4] meaning "star". The word is from Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr and is cognate with Sanskrit stṛ́, Avestan star, Pahlavi star, Persian setār, Ancient Greek: astḗr.
Cultic locales
editHer principal seat was in Ashtishat (Taron), located to the North from Muş, where her chamber was dedicated to the name of Vahagn and known as "Vahagn's bedroom". Vahagn was the personification of a sun-god, her lover or husband according to popular tales.
Other temples and places of worship of Astłik had been located in various towns and villages, such as the mountain of Palaty (to the South-West from Lake Van), in Artamet (12 km from Van),[5] etc.
The unique monuments of prehistoric Armenia, vishap ("dragon stones")[a] spread in many provinces of historical Armenia (i.e., Gegharkunik, Aragatsotn, Javakhk, Tayk, etc.), and are additional manifestations of her worship.
See also
edit
Footnotes
editReferences
edit- ^ Petrosyan 2015, p. 100.
- ^ Lurker, Manfred. The Routledge Dictionary Of Gods Goddesses Devils And Demons. Routledge. 2004. pp. 22-23. ISBN 978-04-15340-18-2
- ^ "Astghik | armeniaculture.am".
- ^ Acharian 1971, p. 278.
- ^ p. 107, "The Pantheon of Armenian Pagan Deities", Gagik Artsruni, Yerevan, 2003
Bibliography
edit- Acharian, Hrachia (1971) [Originally published 1926]. Hayeren armatakan baṛaran Հայերեն արմատական բառարան [Armenian Etymological Dictionary]. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). Yerevan University Press.
- Petrosyan, Armen (2002). The Indo‑european and Ancient Near Eastern Sources of the Armenian Epic. Washington, D.C.: Institute for the Study of Man. ISBN 9780941694810.
- Petrosyan, Armen (2007). "State Pantheon of Greater Armenia: Earliest Sources". Aramazd: Armenian Journal of Near Eastern Studies. 2: 174–201. ISSN 1829-1376.
- Petrosyan, Armen (2015). Problems of Armenian Prehistory. Myth, Language, History. Yerevan: Gitutyun. ISBN 9785808012011.