Armazi
Armazi –was according to the medieval Georgian chronicles the supreme diety in a pre-
Cristian panteon of Georgian’s of Kartli(Iberia)
Georgian literary credits the first king of Kartli was Parnavaz .He , with the raising of the
idol Armazi-reputedly named after him-on mountain at his capital , and the construction of a
simlirarly-named fortress. The 9-10th century hagiographic work “Life of Nino”b describes
the statue of Armazi as “ a man of bronze standing; attached to his body was a golden suit
of chain-armour, on his head astrong helmet;for eyes he had emeralds and beryls , in his
hands he held a saber glittering like lighting , and it turned in his hands”. The same account
asserts that its subject , a 4th century female baptizer of Georgians St.Nino , withessed the
celebration of a great feast of dedication for the idol , and she began praying, by the game
of Jesus the idol was burnt by lighting.
Gatsi and gaim were, according to the ,medieval Georgianchronicles, the deities in a pre-
Christian pantheon of ancient Georgians of Iberia. The Georgian hagiographic work- “The Life
of St..Nino”. reports tat when St.Nino arrived at the city of Mtskheta, she saw that on the
right side of the chief idol of Armazi: “ there stood another image, made of Gold, with the
face of a man.. It’s name was Gatsi, and on the left of it was a silver idol with a human face,
the name of which was Gaim.Another passage from the medieval chorincle relates that Gatsi
and Gaim were believed to have governed ‘’all of mysteries’’
Beyond the medieval Georgian annals ,and the toponym Armazi which has survived to this day,
we lack contemporory records about pagan Georgian pantheon .However ,the word ‘’
ARMAZI’’ itself suggests a connection to the Iranian cultures. Modern scholars divided as to
the origin Armazi.On the other hand the Georgian historian Giorgi Melikishvili ,has advanced
a compelling theory identifying Armazi as the local variant of Arma-"“the God of the moon in
the little mythology. Interestingly, Academican Ivane Javakhishvili has earlier demonstrated
that early Georgians venerated the moon as their chief deity, and this cult subsequently
fused with the Christian St.George, which has been regarded as Georgia’s patron Saint since
the Middle Ages. So Armazi might well have been a syncretic deity representing a
combination of local Georgian, Iranian, and Anatolian elements.
So, as we see Georgian legends and myths are preserved mainly as popular tales. Thus,
many of them are connected with the mythology of other countries.
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks
concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of
the own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece. Greek myth
explains the origins of the world and details the lives and adventures of a wide variety of
god, goddesses, heroes, heroines, and other mythological creatures.
Let’s remember two myths which are common for Georgia and Greece. These legends are
“The legend of Amirani (Prometheus in Greek) and “The legend of the Golden Fleece”
Armazi –was according to the medieval Georgian chronicles the supreme diety in a pre-
Cristian panteon of Georgian’s of Kartli(Iberia)
Georgian literary credits the first king of Kartli was Parnavaz .He , with the raising of the
idol Armazi-reputedly named after him-on mountain at his capital , and the construction of a
simlirarly-named fortress. The 9-10th century hagiographic work “Life of Nino”b describes
the statue of Armazi as “ a man of bronze standing; attached to his body was a golden suit
of chain-armour, on his head astrong helmet;for eyes he had emeralds and beryls , in his
hands he held a saber glittering like lighting , and it turned in his hands”. The same account
asserts that its subject , a 4th century female baptizer of Georgians St.Nino , withessed the
celebration of a great feast of dedication for the idol , and she began praying, by the game
of Jesus the idol was burnt by lighting.
Gatsi and gaim were, according to the ,medieval Georgianchronicles, the deities in a pre-
Christian pantheon of ancient Georgians of Iberia. The Georgian hagiographic work- “The Life
of St..Nino”. reports tat when St.Nino arrived at the city of Mtskheta, she saw that on the
right side of the chief idol of Armazi: “ there stood another image, made of Gold, with the
face of a man.. It’s name was Gatsi, and on the left of it was a silver idol with a human face,
the name of which was Gaim.Another passage from the medieval chorincle relates that Gatsi
and Gaim were believed to have governed ‘’all of mysteries’’
Beyond the medieval Georgian annals ,and the toponym Armazi which has survived to this day,
we lack contemporory records about pagan Georgian pantheon .However ,the word ‘’
ARMAZI’’ itself suggests a connection to the Iranian cultures. Modern scholars divided as to
the origin Armazi.On the other hand the Georgian historian Giorgi Melikishvili ,has advanced
a compelling theory identifying Armazi as the local variant of Arma-"“the God of the moon in
the little mythology. Interestingly, Academican Ivane Javakhishvili has earlier demonstrated
that early Georgians venerated the moon as their chief deity, and this cult subsequently
fused with the Christian St.George, which has been regarded as Georgia’s patron Saint since
the Middle Ages. So Armazi might well have been a syncretic deity representing a
combination of local Georgian, Iranian, and Anatolian elements.
So, as we see Georgian legends and myths are preserved mainly as popular tales. Thus,
many of them are connected with the mythology of other countries.
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks
concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of
the own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece. Greek myth
explains the origins of the world and details the lives and adventures of a wide variety of
god, goddesses, heroes, heroines, and other mythological creatures.
Let’s remember two myths which are common for Georgia and Greece. These legends are
“The legend of Amirani (Prometheus in Greek) and “The legend of the Golden Fleece”
All Rights Severed By Our Team
