This contribution summarizes the ongoing research on the prehistoric stelae known as višaps, or dragon stones. Višaps are found on high-altitude summer pastures throughout the Armenian Highlands. In the first paragraph, I review the number and geographic distribution of the vishaps identified sofar. In the second paragraph, I discuss the iconography, proposing a threefold typology. I also venture to elaborate on the symbolic meaning of the iconographic repertoire, which implies a complex religious vision, combining collective rituals with a specific semantics of natural habitats. In the third paragraph, I analyze the alpine landscape where the višap originally stood, highlighting their low visibility and limited access. In the fourth paragraph, I discuss function and dating of the višaps. Based on the archaeological data from the site of Karmir Sar on Mount Aragats, the vishaps are revealed as solitary monuments dating 2100 bc at the latest, and perhaps even considerably earlier, into the fifth millennium bc. I also advance the hypothesis that the višaps were manufactured by local pastoralists practising vertical transhumance. In the fifth paragraph, I conclude setting the accent on the great amount of social and economic resources required for the erection of a višap. With a view to cultural anthropology, I propose an explanatory model for the rise of the višaps that sees the monuments as the materialization of seasonal feasts, whose main objective was to promote intertribal social cohesion and play down competition and conficts.

Il contributo presenta i risultati della prima ricerca sul campo intorno ai cosiddetti "višap", stele monumentali preistoriche localizzate nei pascoli d'altura del Caucaso meridionale. Il contributo è organizzato in quattro parti. Nella prima parte si presenta il numero e la distribuzione geografica dei višap identificati sino ad oggi. Nella seconda parte si discute l'iconografia e la simbologia dei rilievi teriomorfi, avanzando l'ipotesi che essi riflettano un universo di pratiche e credenze religiose legate al culto dell'acqua. Nella terza parte si analizzano le caratteristiche dell'ambiente alpino dove furono originalmente eretti, mettendo in evidenza come i višap fossero difficili da raggiungere e poco visibili da lontano. Nella quarta parte si si discutono la funzione e la datazione dei višap. Sulla base dei dati raccolti nello scavo archeologico di Karmir Sar, sulle pendici meridionali del M. Aragats, si dimostra che i višap non possono essere stati costruiti dopo il 2100 a.C., e che anzi risalgano verosimilmente addirittura alla fine del quinto millennio a.C. Si ipotizza infine che essi siano stati costruiti da società pastorali, con grande mobilitazione collettiva, forse per disinnescare competizioni e conflitti legati all'uso delle risorse montane.

I vishap. All’origine dell’arte monumentale in Armenia

Alessandra Gilibert
2018-01-01

Abstract

This contribution summarizes the ongoing research on the prehistoric stelae known as višaps, or dragon stones. Višaps are found on high-altitude summer pastures throughout the Armenian Highlands. In the first paragraph, I review the number and geographic distribution of the vishaps identified sofar. In the second paragraph, I discuss the iconography, proposing a threefold typology. I also venture to elaborate on the symbolic meaning of the iconographic repertoire, which implies a complex religious vision, combining collective rituals with a specific semantics of natural habitats. In the third paragraph, I analyze the alpine landscape where the višap originally stood, highlighting their low visibility and limited access. In the fourth paragraph, I discuss function and dating of the višaps. Based on the archaeological data from the site of Karmir Sar on Mount Aragats, the vishaps are revealed as solitary monuments dating 2100 bc at the latest, and perhaps even considerably earlier, into the fifth millennium bc. I also advance the hypothesis that the višaps were manufactured by local pastoralists practising vertical transhumance. In the fifth paragraph, I conclude setting the accent on the great amount of social and economic resources required for the erection of a višap. With a view to cultural anthropology, I propose an explanatory model for the rise of the višaps that sees the monuments as the materialization of seasonal feasts, whose main objective was to promote intertribal social cohesion and play down competition and conficts.
2018
XIX
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Gilibert_RAI_2018.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: Articolo principale
Tipologia: Versione dell'editore
Licenza: Accesso gratuito (solo visione)
Dimensione 3.74 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
3.74 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in ARCA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10278/3702234
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact