In any given part of the world, forced demographic changes to the ethnic population inevitably result in changes to the local linguistics as well as the evolution and alteration of toponyms. The resulting changes can give politicians and extremists the possibility to exploit the changes to augment their claims and incursions. In extreme cases, such as the “scorched earth” policy adopted by Shah Abbas of Iran in the so called “protectorates” of Nakhchivan, Syuniq and Karabakh, the Armenian ethnic population was decimated. The elimination of the ethnic Armenians gave an opportunity to the Turkish speaking remaining minority of the local population the possibility to claim ownership of these lands. Through the citation of historical facts and cartographic evidence, the article discusses the reasons for the naming of Lake Sevan in Armenia as “Gokcha”, and the exploitation of this new toponym in an attempt to prove ownership of the lake, through the presentation of dubious documents and arguments.

KeywordsArmenia Sevan Azerbaijan Gökcha Shah Abbas Cartography Toponyms.

Looking back at the path taken by the First Republic of Armenia (1918– 1920), which was formed under difficult military and political conditions, it should be noted that this path was unfolded through complex and challenging turns. The Republic lived and operated in complicated internal and external circumstances, where the most urgent issues facing the state required immediate solutions. The independent Armenian state, first and foremost, had to establish its territorial integrity. This commission was also conditioned by the unfavorable attitudes of the newly formed neighboring states (Georgia and Azerbaijan), which had made their aspirations to seize territories historically belonging to Armenia a cornerstone of their state policy.1 It is well known that, having been defeated in the First World War, the Ottoman Empire, following the Armistice of Mudros (October 30, 1918), was forced to withdraw its troops from Transcaucasia, including the occupied territories of Eastern Armenia, and retreat to the borders of 1914.

KeywordsRepublic of Armenia Stepan Ghorghanyan Samtskhe–Meskheti Tachkastan “Greater Azerbaijan” Server-bek Atabekov Kobliansky Amir-bek Narimanbekov Yakub Shevki Pasha.

The study of various examples of genocide is impossible without studying their causes and preconditions. Criminal regimes are guided by specific motives and narratives when implementing genocidal policies. The perpetrators of genocide attempt to justify their criminal actions against specific groups with ethnopolitical, religious, socioeconomic and other “justifications”. Modern genocide studies focuses on the comparative analysis of the causes and preconditions of various genocides, seeking to identify both their common features and specific characteristics. The purpose of this article is to conduct a comparative analysis of the causes and preconditions of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire and the genocidal acts committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Based on this goal, the objectives are to examine the discriminatory policies against the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire and the Christian population of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to explore the ideological preconditions for the crimes committed and to examine the preparatory processes that preceded them.

KeywordsArmenian Genocide Ottoman Empire Pan-Turkism Yugoslavia Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbia genocidal acts

Joseph Wolff (1795–1862), a British missionary of German-Jewish origin, wrote six travel accounts about his journeys to Eastern countries. During these travels, he considered it necessary to record the populations of the various peoples living in the places he visited, including Armenians. In this respect, his travelogues constitute an exceptional source for clarifying the quantitative picture of the Armenian population in the first half of the nineteenth century, both in Eastern and Western Armenia, as well as in neighboring and other regions (the Ottoman Empire, Persia, the Middle East, Afghanistan, and India). In particular, in his works Missionary Journal of the Rev. Joseph Wolff, Missionary to the Jews and Researches and Missionary Labours among the Jews, Mohammedans, and other sects, by the Rev. Joseph Wolff, he recorded the number of Armenian inhabitants in the cities and villages he visited. Thus, according to his data, there were 8,000 Armenian families in Karabakh, 114 in Baku, 4,000 Armenians in Shapin-Garahisar, 5,000 in Sivas, 130,000 Armenians in Constantinople, 40 families in Kabul, 1,000 Armenians in British India, and so on. When noting the number of Armenian inhabitants in the cities and villages he visited, Wolff almost always distinguished between Apostolic and Catholic Armenians, and often found it necessary to indicate the number of clergy as well. Considering that Joseph Wolff, as a missionary, was in contact with Armenian ecclesiastical and educational figures and obtained his information from them, the data he provides may be regarded as at least largely reliable.

KeywordsJoseph Wolff travel accounts Armenians rural population Ottoman Empire Mesopotamia Persia

The Russo-Turkish Agreement signed on January 26, 1914, did not resolve the Armenian Question. The Ottoman authorities invalidated it, thereby preventing the European inspectors N. Hoff and L. Westenenk from commencing the activities stipulated by the document. This course of action was officially justified by the fact that World War I had begun on July 19, 1914, and under wartime conditions, there was no longer a need to implement the agreement. These realities were reflected in the Armenian press published in Constantinople. In particular, the widely circulated daily newspapers Azatamart and Zhamanak actively covered this issue. They also presented to their readers the expectations and hopes of Armenians regarding the agreement. Opinions varied. Many believed that under the general supervision of the Russian Empire, the agreement would finally safeguard the long-violated rights of Armenians. A significant segment of Armenian society, however, remained skeptical, recalling a number of previously adopted decisions and documents that had in no way contributed to a pro-Armenian resolution of the Armenian Question. Azatamart called upon everyone to remain realistic, while Zhamanak urged patience and waiting for further developments. Alongside expressing their own positions, these periodicals also addressed the viewpoints of pro-European and pro-Russian groups. Analytical articles conclued that, overall, Western Armenians aspired to live a peaceful and secure life in their ancestral homeland. It was noted that although the agreement envisaged reforms in Armenian-populated provinces, the Ottoman government had for decades merely spoken of implementing reforms across the empire, in practice leaving such programs confined to paper.

KeywordsRusso-Turkish Agreement of January 26 1914 Azatamart daily Zhamanak daily Armenian reform program Armenian Question Nikolai Hoff Louis Westenenk

The article examines the art of characterization in the vaudevilles of Gabriel Sundukyan and beyond. Gabriel Sundukyan is one of the greatest representatives of Armenian dramaturgy. His vaudevilles constitute an important and irreplaceable part of Armenian theatrical literature. Sundukyan’s vaudevilles are distinguished not only by their comedic structure but also by their deep social subtext and the multilayered development of characters. The author creates typical yet individualized figures that reflect the social relations, moral values, and contradictions of the time. The analysis shows that Sundukyan skillfully combines humor with a critical perspective, revealing social inequality, false morality, and materialism. It is also noteworthy that his characters often bear the influence of cultural intersections, such as the character Yavangul, who represents a fusion of Armenian and Georgian cultures. Through his characters, Sundukyan frequently raises issues related to the moral and social decline of society. His characters often find themselves at the center of internal and external conflicts, facing the clash between old and new values, material interests, and ethical principles. Thus, Sundukyan’s vaudevilles possess not only artistic value but also serve as an important source of socio-philosophical reflection.

KeywordsVaudeville dramaturgy European culture Gabriel Sundukyan characterization Values theatre

Within proverbial discourse, the linguocognitive model of metamorphosis reveals how French and Armenian proverbs portray human nature and the cognition of human traits. In this context, human nature and behavioral patterns are analyzed through the prism of animal imagery and conceptual metaphors, and the negative connotations associated with metamorphosis are highlighted. At the core of this analysis lies the issue of behavioral and, more broadly, identity shifts, analyzed both on an ontological plane and at the level of conceptual perception, at the intersection of being and seeming. Furthermore, the analysis emphasizes the role of causality in the construction of a new identity. It should be noted that proverbial discourse highlights the immutability of human nature: the external manifestations of metamorphosis do not result in any substantive internal change. From a linguocognitive and linguostylistic perspective, the proverbs under study reveal cognitive models that illustrate the failure of external influence to alter innate attributes, as well as the mapping of human nature onto behavioral patterns.

Keywordsmetamorphosis proverbial discourse human nature zoonym conceptual metaphor being seeming.

Throughout various historical periods, authors have often opted to use pseudonyms or remain anonymous when creating their works. This prompts the question of why an author would generally choose to present themselves under a pseudonym or a nickname. The reasons behind the adoption of a pseudonym are multifaceted and vary according to the individual writer’s circumstances: simplification of a lenghty name, the need to differentiate oneself from a writer with a similar or identical name, the concealment of ethnic identity, the desire for becoming famous with a more evocative name, concerns regarding privacy, the author’s public status, the constraints of censorship, etc. The renowned satirist Hakob Paronyan also signed the majority of his works and articles under pseudonyms or published them unsigned. This article specifically examines pronoun-pseudonyms and several other pseudonyms of newly found works in the satirical newspapers “Meghu” (“Bee”) and “Tatron” (“Theatre”) that remained unattributed to Paronyan for years. The study analyzes the motivations behind Paronyan’s use of these newly identified pseudonyms, provides quantitative statistics on their application, and highlights inconsistencies and potential reasons for their usage.

KeywordsHakob Paronyan pseudonym nickname satirical newspaper “Meghu” (“Bee”) satirical newspaper “Tatron” (“Theatre”) pronoun-pseudonym unsigned

Paruyr Sevak’s figure as a symbol of the Armenian intellectual – perpetually engaged in the quest for truth–has been repeatedly reflected in the works of Sargis Muradyan (1927–2007), People’s Artist of the Republic of Armenia. An examination of the series of portraits that Muradyan dedicated to Sevak over the years, along with the thematic compositions and frescoes, reveals their artistic role and significance within the broader development of Armenian national fine arts in the 1960s and 80s. During that period, a novel vision, characterized by psychological depth and a symbolic, multilayered nature, was being formed, according to which Sevak’s portraits were consistent with contemporary artists’ interpretations of the intellectual’s figure. We’ve drawn parallels among the portraits by Hovhannes Zardaryan, Eduard Isabekyan, Ara Bekaryan, which – similar to Muradyan’s work - reflect inner tension, spiritual quest, and national consciousness.

KeywordsSargis Muradyan Paruyr Sevak Armenian fine arts portrait fresco drawing sketch

Mural painting is one of the most significant forms of monumental art, characterized by its organic and conceptual relationship with the architectural environment and its capacity to shape the artistic integrity of space. Executed through techniques such as fresco, tempera, glue-based paint, encaustic painting, and oil, mural painting is inherently intended for long-term existence and functions as a bearer of historical and cultural memory. The origins of this art form date back to prehistoric rock paintings and later developed extensively within ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman civilizations, where it acquired religious, ideological, and symbolic meanings. This article is devoted to the study of murals created in public spaces by Hovhannes Minassian. Although the majority of these works have not survived over time, they occupy an important place in the history of Armenian monumental painting, reflecting the artistic thinking and spatial-decorative explorations of the 1960s. The research is based on preserved photographs, archival materials, and contemporary testimonies, aiming to reconstruct the artistic and historical-cultural significance of the lost murals. This approach makes it possible to reassess Minassian’s contribution and to emphasize the crucial role of monumental art created in public environments in shaping the cultural life of the period.

KeywordsHovhannes Minassian mural painting fresco fine arts monumentalism heritage painting

This article examines the second period of the creative activity of the prominent representative of the Armenian Diaspora, artist Sarkis Katchadourian (1886–1947). The study presents an analysis of his extensive work on the copying and reconstruction of the murals of the Safavid palatial complexes in Isfahan, including Ali Qapu Palace and Chehel Sotoun Palace, undertaken during his residence in Persia between 1929 and 1933. The research analyzes Katchadourian’s exceptional contribution to the preservation of Iranian cultural heritage and the popularization of Oriental art in Europe and America. Based on archival and documentary evidence, the author proposes a new thesis regarding the identification of an anonymous work held in the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris, identifying it as Katchadourian’s reconstruction of the fresco “Khoja Petros’s Feast in the Presence of Shah Abbas.”

KeywordsSarkis Katchadourian Oriental art Ali Qapu Palace Chehel Sotoun Palace New Julfa reconstructions Shah Abbas period.