HISTORY

Ancestral Armenians continuously inhabiting the Armenian Plateau before and throughout the rise and fall of the Old and Middle Kingdoms in Egypt, the entire history of Minoan and Mycanaean cultures (ca 2200-1400 BC), the Indus civilization in present day Pakistan (ca. 2500-1500 BC), the first semi-mythical Hsia (ca 2000-1523 BC) and most of the Shang (1766-1027 BC) Dynasties in China.

Taking advantage of the fulcrum Menuas established at Menuakhnili, Menuas' son Argishti I and his son, Sardur I expanded the Armenian empire. He ordered the building of several key outposts, among them Erebuni in 782 BC, which is considered the beginning of Yerevan’s history, and Argishitinili (present day Armavir, in Armenia).

Yerevan at Night. Courtesy of R. Hambardzumyan

Armenia is the first country to convert to Christianity. The citadel at Erebuni in it's capital Yerevan, reminds us of Armenia the first country in almost everything else, a country with much older history that recalls the pagan roots of her traditions which - while couched in Christian terms--are as ancient as the first signs of civilization etched in her highlands.

Yerevan is in the area of Ararat, which served as the central link of accepted dress between eastern and western Armenia.