THE ROAD TO GARNI

 

The Arch of Charents is a modern monument surrounded by ancient history. If Armenia is a window to the distant past, the Arch is a gateway to the nation’s symbol and one of its last remaining pagan structures, the Temple of Garni.

Indeed, Garni and the majestic Mount Ararat were the two inspirations for architect Rafayel Israylelian who envisioned a window to two iconic images, one carved by nature the other by the hand of man.

Israyelian completed the monument in 1957 in tribute to his country’s poet Yeghishe Charents, a reminder that while we mourn the art stolen or destroyed over the centuries, Armenia’s inspiration for art and innovation has survived the destruction of the nation’s heritage.

                                                    I stand before the Arch of Charents
                                       

Consider, for instance, the destruction, both natural and deliberate, of my next stop, Geghard. Its most recent aspect, the main chapel, was erected in 1215, but the monastery that wraps around it like armor dates back to the 4th century by St. Gregory the Illuminator.

For centuries Geghard served as an honored pilgrimage site and religious studies. In the 920s it was ransacked by an invading Arab army who took with them countless manuscripts detailing the construction of the monastery. Nonetheless, Geghard was rebuilt with added fortification.

As late as the 13th century Geghard was still a fabled destination for Christians said to hold the Holy Lance and pieces of Noah’s Ark. Geghard, however, would have to endure another attack by Mongols and destruction by three earthquakes (the last in 1840), being rebuilt each time. Its resiliency matches that of the people it serves.

                                          Geghard exterior with some restoration work underway

                                                                   Geghard interior
Nature is as much a shaper of our world as we are of nature. My next destination on August 29th, Garni Temple, was surrounded by what is truly an attraction to itself, the “Symphony of Stones” that form Garni Gorge. The only immediate marker of human history here is an 11th-century bridge. The earth otherwise took it upon herself to carve out this remarkable rock formation. It hits harder in places like Armenia, which hold so many marvels of ancient times, that no matter how old or monuments, the artistry of the earth was here first.

This is not to diminish the awe of Garni Temple, one of the best preserved Roman-Greco structures in Armenia. But even here the hand of nature is evident, the 1st-century builders utilizing the blue basalt of the region. After substantial destruction by the earthquake of 1679, the Garni Temple went through much restoration well into the 20th century. Even so the temple remains the most concrete evidence of Armenia’s pre-Christian past. Its dedication was not to a saint but to a god; Mihr the god of the sun. Throughout the structure tributes to nature abound, basalt representations of the fruits of Armenia (pomegranates, grapes and walnut) adorn the columns. In this way, Garni Temple is the last structure standing providing the missing pieces of the history of Armenia, the parts long forgotten when nature was our guiding light.

                                                                        Garni Temple

Fittingly, I ended the day at a small local villa where the residents use the earth to bake lavash, the traditional Armenia bread. A pit is dug in the ground where the dough will be cooked once it’s flattened on what looks like a legless ironing board. Then the bakers peel it off the board with a pole and guide it down the pit, sticking it on the sides. Once sufficiently browned, the bread is unpeeled from the sides, pulled back out and served. Once more in Armenia, the earth helped preserve tradition.

Tossing the lavash dough; the fully cooked bread pulled back up.
                  


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