In this article, we are going to analyze Armenian eternity sign and all its relevant aspects in depth. Armenian eternity sign is a topic of great importance today, since it has a significant impact on society, the economy, culture, and many other areas. Over the years, Armenian eternity sign has generated constant debate and has sparked growing interest in different sectors. In this regard, it is crucial to fully understand the nature and scope of Armenian eternity sign, as well as its short- and long-term implications. Therefore, this article aims to offer a comprehensive and detailed view on Armenian eternity sign, with the aim of enriching knowledge and promoting a constructive debate around this topic of global relevance.
In medieval Armenian culture, the eternity sign symbolized the concept of everlasting, celestial life. From the 5th century, it appeared on Armenian steles; later it became part of khachkar symbolism. Around the 8th century the use of the Armenian symbol of eternity had become a long established national iconographical practice, and it has kept its meaning in modern times. Besides being one of the main components of khachkars, it can be found on church walls, tomb stones and other architectural monuments. Notable churches with the eternity sign include the Mashtots Hayrapet Church of Garni,Horomayr Monastery,Nor Varagavank,Tsitsernavank Monastery. An identical symbol appears in the reliefs of the Divriği Great Mosque and Hospital, and is likely a borrowing from earlier Armenian churches of the area. It can also be found on Armenian manuscripts.
The eternity sign is used on the logos of government agencies and on commemorative coins, as well as Armenian government agencies and non-government organizations and institutions in Armenia and the Armenian diaspora.
The symbol is also used by Armenian neopagan organizations and their followers. It is called by them "Arevakhach" (Արեւախաչ, "sun cross").
ArmSCII and Unicode
In ArmSCII, Armenian Standard Code for Information Interchange, an Armenian eternity sign has been encoded in 7-bit and 8-bit standard and ad hoc encodings since at least 1987. In 2010 the Armenian National Institute of Standards suggested encoding an Armenian Eternity sign in the Unicode character set, and both left-facing ⟨֎⟩ and right-facing ⟨֍⟩ Armenian eternity signs were included in Unicode version 7.0 when it was released in June 2014.
A plaque indicating that the square at the entrance of the Haghpat Monastery was named for Sayat-Nova in 2010
There are 9 eternity signs on the 1965 monument "Revived Armenia" at the top of Yerevan Cascade, dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Soviet rule in Armenia.
^Jacob G. Ghazarian (2006), The Mediterranean legacy in early Celtic Christianity: a journey from Armenia to Ireland, Bennett & Bloom, pp. 263, p. 171 "... Quite a different version of the Celtic triskelion, and perhaps the most common pre-Christian symbolism found throughout Armenian cultural tradition, is the round clockwise (occasionally counter-clockwise) whirling sun-like spiral fixed at a centre—the Armenian symbol of eternity."
^K. B. Mehr, M. Markow, Mormon Missionaries enter Eastern Europe, Brigham Young University Press, 2002, pp. 399, p. 252 "... She viewed a tall building with spires and circular windows along the top of the walls. It was engraved with sun stones, a typical symbol of eternity in ancient Armenian architecture."
^Bauer-Manndorff, Elisabeth (1981). Armenia: Past and Present. Reich Verlag. p. 89. The circle, as a line returning upon itself, represented perfection. Having neither beginning, nor end, it was the symbol of eternity. The architects expressed the concept of everlasting, celestial life in the knowledge of the presence and effect of the divine power by sphere.
^N. Sahakyan/ Armenian Highland: / RAU Press. 2006, page 150(349)
^Jacob G. Ghazarian (2006), The Mediterranean legacy in early Celtic Christianity: a journey from Armenia to Ireland, Bennett & Bloom, pp. 263, p. 186 "The eighth, or ninth, century date of this two examples of Irish stone crosses places them chronologically well after the carving of stone crosses in Armenia and the use of the Armenian symbol of eternity had become a long established national iconographical practice."
^Asratyan M., TsitsernavankArchived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, Historico-phylological journal of Armenian Academy of sciences, № 2, 1980, p. 50
Armenian Engineers & Scientists of America. "The Armenian Engineers and Scientists of America (AESA) logo is an ancient symbol used in Armenian architecture and carvings. The symbol signifies Eternal Life – in Armenian Haverjoutian Nshan or Sign of Eternity."