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Written by Gevork Nazaryan

VAN -- the Capital of the Kingdom of Ararat. Van is the evolved name of the original name of Biayna [ B-V phonetic shift]. Another name for Van is Tušpa or Tosp. Van was established as an important center in the second millennium BC on an earlier settlement. The city began to grow after a number of important constructions were made by King Sardur I [835 - 825 BC]. During the reign of King Menua [810 – 786 BC] a massive water canal of more than 80 kilometers long -- from the river of Xosap to the city of Van -- was built to overcome the water

THE WARRIOR KINGS OF ARARAT WERE THE CHALDEAN ORACLES OF HALDI.
CHANNELING KENSAUZH [LIFE FORCE] AND UNITING CELESTIAL
AND TERRESTRIAL ESSENCE INTO ONE COMPLETED DIVINE SPHERE [READ BELOW].


HAY.K-HALD-ENKI-EA - THE VERY SYMBOL [THE ETERNAL-ESSENTIAL DIVINITY
WOULD REINCARNATE AND MANIFEST IN CORPOREAL-FINITE FORM]
OF THE FREEDOM OF ARMENIAN NATION. THE ARMENIAN KINGDOM
TIME AND AGAIN WAS CHALLENGED AND SUCCESSFULLY
WITHSTOOD FOREIGN INVASIONS AS ATTESTED IN THE AKKADIAN
 [AND EARLIER SUMERIAN] INSCRIPTIONS.

shortages. Armenians of Ararat were master builders and innovators. Huge canals were often drilled through blocking cliffs. Parts of the Araratian canal are still in use by the local inhabitants. Mowsēs χorēnac‘i -- the Father of Armenian History -- tells us that during the successive reigns of successors of King Menua -- Argišti I [Ara I] and Sardur II, a number of innovations were erected throughout the city.

RELIEF OF THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS OF THE KINGDOM
DURING A RELIGIOUS RITUAL [FORETELLING THE FUTURE]
TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT OF THE SYMBOLIC TREE OF LIFE

New palaces, temples, streets, roads, baths and markets sprang up around the city to fulfill the swift inflow of merchants that made their way to the city. Master craftsmen from all over the vast kingdom of Ararat found their way to the capital were they made beautiful artifacts including -- jewelry, decorative pottery and porcelain, beautiful rugs
Further Reading See Culture of Ararat of The Chronicle Click Here.

HEROIC DEFENSE OF CAPITAL TUŠPA [TOSP] AGAINST THE ASSYRIAN INVADERS.
RELIEF FROM AŠŠURNASIPAL'S PALACE. IXTH CENTURY BC.
THE CAPITAL'S HUGE DEFENSIVE WALLS SAVED THE INHABITANTS COUNTLESS TIMES.

THE HUGE DOOR OF MHER [MIHR-MITHRAS] MOUNTAIN CAVE OVERLOOKING VAN.
THE CAVE IS COVERED WITH CUNEIFORM INSCRIPTIONS OF IŠPUHINI AND MENUA.
INSIDE THE DARK CAVE -- TORCH LIT CEREMONIES OF MITHRAIC MYSTERIES
TOOK PLACE. ACCORDING TO THE COSMIC EPIC OF THE DAREDEVILS OF SASUN -- THE
HERO LION MHER [LION IS A MITHRAIC SOLAR SYMBOL] DWELT INSIDE THE CAVE
AND WOULD COME OUT WHEN THE PEOPLE NEEDED THEIR HERO TO SAVE THEM
FROM INJUSTICE AND CRUELTY OF TYRANTS.

THE SPECTACULAR VIEW FROM THE HIGH CLIFFS OVERLOOKING THE CAPITAL.
THE DOOR OF MHER IS BELOW LEADING TO THE INTRICATE LABYRINTH NETWORK
WITHIN.

A SECTION OF THE HORHOR [FATHER-FIRE SINGULARITY AS PLURALITY
THE HORHORUNIS OF XORXORUNIS WERE ONE OF THE PROMINENT
ARISTOCRATIC HOUSES OF GREATER ARMENIA]
CUNEIFORM INSCRIPTIONS ON THE ROYAL CHAMBER OF KING ARGIŠTI I.
CLOSE UP OF A SECTION OF THE HORHOR INSCRIPTIONS WITH A PORTION
OF THE STEPS LEADING TO THE CAVE ENTRY. THE DOOR OF MHER IS ALSO
KNOWN AS CROW'S ROCK -- IMPLYING THE CONNECTION OF THE BLACK CROW
OR DARK RAVEN [CORVUS CORAX] -- THE SENTINEL OF THE ETERNAL FLAME.

 The culture of Ararat influenced many peoples of the ancient world including among others the Scythians, Cimmerians and Medians. The Achaemenid Persians -- the successors of the Medians, modeled their culture and civilization after that of the Kingdom of Ararat. They were in a close relationship of trade and commerce with a number of important cities of Ararat. Van was also an important center of weaponry making -- supplying much of the weaponry to the arsenal of the Kingdom's armed forces. New fortifications and towers were being continuously built in order to defend the prosperity of the city.

INTERPRETATIVE REDRAWING OF THE ORIGINAL [K]HALDEAN MAP FROM BABYLON.
CA 600 BC. SHOWING ARMENIA AS THE LAND OF THE GODS AND HOLY MOUNTAINS
NOURISHING AND GIVING LIFE TO ALL OF THE FERTILE CRESCENT
 FROM ITS HIGHLAND SOURCES WITH THE WATERS OF TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES.

THE IMPOSING RUINS OF THE VAN CITADEL HIGH ABOVE
OVERLOOKING THE ANCIENT CAPITAL.

COMMUNAL LIVING, HELPING AND SHARING WITH EACH OTHER WAS THE
TRADITIONAL FOLK WAY OF THE ARMENIC COMMUNITIES OF ARARAT.

In 735, the Assyrian King Tiglathpalaser, launched an incursion into north -- into the domain of Ararat. The rapid expansion of Ararat and particularly its dominance of Northern Mesopotamia, Syria and Eastern Anatolia, were successfully blocking the Assyrian advances further north and northwest.

THE [K]HALDEAN MAP OF BABYLON WITH THE ASTROLOGICAL CONSTELLATIONS
ABOVE [CELESTIAL OCEAN] AND THE COSMIC MOUNTAIN-HIERARCHY IN ARMENIA --
THE HOLY HIGHLAND -- WITH THE CUNEIFORM INSCRIPTION -- THE SEAT OF GOD.
CLOSE UP OF THE DOOR [GATE] OF LION MHER [MIHR].
THE HUGE ENTRY TO THE MITHRĆVM CARVED RIGHT INTO THE CAVE...
THIS TRADITION OF CAVE TEMPLES WAS CONTINUED BY ARMENIAN
MASTER BUILDERS ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES BEING THE GEŁARD TEMPLE
OF THE MIDDLE AGES -- THE MAUSOLEUM OF PROSHIANS --
DESCENDANTS OF MAMIKONIAN NOBILITY...
...WHERE THE HOLY LANCE WAS KEPT...

 BELOW. NORTHERN OUTPOST ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF
THE CAPITAL GUARDED BY  A DETACHMENT OF THE ROYAL GARRISON
THE WATCHTOWER ON THE HIGH CLIFF HAD AN EXTENSIVE VIEW SPAN AND
SENT A WARNING SIGNAL TO THE CAPITAL DURING THE APPROACH OF THE ENEMY

ARMAN MARIANU [ FROM MAR PRIMORDIAL SEA-WATER VISHAP]
AYRUDZI MOUNTED WARRIORS. RENOWNED AS THE FINEST
FIGHTING CAVALIERS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD.

THE ARMENIAN MIGHT OF ARARAT NOT ONLY HELD THE ASSYRIAN INVADERS
IN CHECK BUT DURING THE REIGNS OF MENUA AND ARGIŠTI I DROVE DEEP
INTO MESOPOTAMIA. ARMENIAN TRADITIONAL RULE OF MUCH OF
MESOPOTAMIA INCLUDING BABYLONIA THAT DATED AS FAR BACK
AS THE ARMENIC SUMERIANS WHO MIGRATED FROM THEIR SACRED HIGHLAND
OF ARATTA-ARARAT, CONTINUED UNDER SUCCESSIVE REIGNS
OF ARMENIAN MITANNI-NAHARIN-NAIRI KINGDOM ALL THE WAY TO
THE REIGN OF DARIUS I.

WARRIOR'S GOLDEN DRINKING GOBLET IN A FORM OF A HORNED GRIFFON.
ONE OF NUMEROUS FINELY EXECUTED CRAFTSMANSHIP WORKS
 BY THE OUTSTANDING GOLDSMITHS OF ARARAT. ERZNKA,
EKEŁEAC‛ PROVINCE. VIIITH CENTURY BC.

GOLDEN NECKLACE FROM TEYŠEBAINI [KARMIR BLUR] INLAID WITH
PRECIOUS GEMS. VIIITH CENTURY BC.

GOLD EARRINGS FROM TEYŠEBAINI [KARMIR BLUR]. VIITH CENTURY BC.



DECORATED GOLDEN BROCHE OF PROTECTION
WITH THE SYMBOL OF MACROCOSM.
TEYŠEBAINI [KARMIR BLUR -- RED HILL]. VIITH CENTURY BC.

THE REMARKABLY WELL PRESERVED HUGE CHALDEAN K‛URM
CAULDRON FROM THE TEMPLE OF HALDI IN ALTINTEPE --LIT. GOLDEN HILL,
20 KM. EAST OF ERZNKA -- FOUNDED DURING THE REIGN OF ARGIŠTI II [714-680 BC].
UPON THE SACRED TRIANGLE-TRIPOD THE CAULDRON'S
HANDLES ARE IN THE FORM OF FOUR WINGED BULLHEADS
[FOUR CARDINAL DIRECTIONS/WINDS/SEASONS, FOUR ELEMENTS WITH THE
FIFTH INSIDE THE FOUR...] UPPER PART OF THE TRIPOD UNITES UP AND
DOWN POINTING TRIANGLES/RHOMBI RODS TO FORM THE SYMBOL OF MACROCOSM
[HEAVEN + EARTH, MALE + FEMALE UNION...3 ABOVE/OVERWORLD
AND 3/BELOW/UNDERWORLD].

WAR GODS HALDI AND TEYŠUB ON THE BELT OF ARMAN WARRIOR.
WINGED GRIFFON AND THE WAR GOD WITH THE SACRED SUN DISK UPON THE BULL.

The Assyrians with heavy losses managed to make a breakthrough into the heart of Ararat and reached the Mother City. The Assyrians laid a lengthy siege of Capital Van -- charging the walls numerous times only to be repelled by the heroic defenders. The defensive positions were manned by the military garrison of the city, armed militia and the royal guards led by Sardur II. In the VIth

IVORY LION FROM ALTINTEPE.

NUDE FIGURE OF A WOMAN WEARING AN ELABORATE CROWN
AND NECKLACE, WITH REMAINS OF BLUE INLAY IN THE EYES.
VIII-VIITH CENTURIES BC. RUSAHINILI.

century BC, the ancient Aramian Royal House of Ararat was succeeded by the Orontids [Oriontids]. The Orontids or the Er-uandunis had blood ties to the previous dynasty and followed in a natural succession to the Kingdom. close blood ties -- after the expiration of the last male heir to the throne, Ruša IV, Eruand I became the new reigning monarch.

THE  WISE  K'URM  [HIGH PRIEST]
KINGS OF ARARAT -- GUARDIANS OF
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