Vardavar- Armenia’s joyful celebration of getting wet
Although now a Christian tradition, celebrating the transfiguration of Jesus Christ (the Feast of the Transfiguration), Vardavar's history dates back to pagan times. The ancient festival is traditionally associated with the goddess Astghik, who was the goddess of water, beauty, love, and fertility. The festivities associated with this religious observance of Astghik were named “Vartavar” because Armenians offered her roses as a celebration (vart means "rose" in Armenian and var means "to burn/be burning," this is why it was celebrated in the harvest time). Some scholars claim it comes from a tradition dating back to Noah, in which he commanded
The Chinese “magic mirror” discovered at the Cincinnati Art Museum
The Curators at the Cincinnati Art Museum have figured out that an unassuming bronze disc in the museum’s 100,000-strong collection is actually an exceedingly rare magic mirror. Magic mirrors, also known as transparent or light penetrating mirrors, were first created in China during the Han dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE), according to the museum. When light is projected on them, the mirrors appear transparent and reveal characters or a decorative design. The characters on the museum’s polished, reflective surface carry six Chinese characters that name Amitābha Buddha, while the reflection reveals an image of the Buddha shrouded in heavenly beams. Aside from Han dynasty-era
The copes in the Met collection reflect the multiculturalism and wide horizon of the Armenian mercantile class
Armenian merchants played an essential role in facilitating trade in and outside Iran, so when the Safavid ruler Shah 'Abba' (r. 1587–1629) planned to revitalize Iran's economy, he resettled a community of Armenians from the city of Julfa to his new capital, Isfahan. From there, the Armenians helped Iran's famous silk reach markets worldwide. In the 17th century, the Armenian community drove the engine of trade in luxury silks made in Safavid Iran and Mughal India. Thanks to their mercantile skills, Christian faith, and dispersed community, the Armenians had a successful network in Europe and Asia. The variety of fabrics sold
Treasures of Metsamor
During the excavations in the ancient site of Metsamor, which have been held for more than fifty years, the citadel with a palace and economic buildings, the unique shrines with alters, the “observatory” for viewing the celestial bodies, the “workshop” of smelters and foundries representing the complete cycle of metalworking, Early Bronze Age raw brick dwellings, with round plan, a Late Bronze-Iron Age urban district and a vast tomb have been unearthed.The Museum of History and Archeology at Metsamor Site was established in 1968. The museum collection consists of about 28.000 artifacts, with 8.500 on view. It covers the Chalcolithic
One of the largest museums in China – the Nanjing Museum
The Nanjing Museum ( 南京博物院) is located in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province in East China. With an area of 70,000 square meters, it is considered one of the largest museums in China and one of the first museums established in this country. The museum has over 400,000 items in its permanent collection. Especially notable is the museum's remarkable collection of Ming and Qing imperial porcelain, which is regarded among the largest in the world.There are twelve exhibition halls at the museum. The collection highlight is a full-size suit of armor made from small-scaled jade tiles joined by silver
