Coat of Arms of Armenia facts for kids
The national coat of arms of Armenia is a special symbol for the country. It shows an eagle and a lion holding up a shield. This coat of arms mixes old and new symbols. The eagle and lion have been important Armenian symbols for a very long time. They were used by the first Armenian kingdoms, even before Christ.
Armenia officially adopted this coat of arms on April 19, 1992. Later, on June 15, 2006, the Armenian Parliament passed a law about it.
Contents
Symbolism
The Shield
The shield in the middle of the coat of arms has many interesting parts.
In the very center, you can see Mount Ararat. On top of the mountain is Noah's Ark. Many people believe the ark landed there after a big flood. Mount Ararat is a very important national symbol for Armenia.
Around Mount Ararat, there are symbols from old Armenian royal families, called dynasties.
- In the bottom left, two eagles face each other. This shows how large Armenia was when the Artaxiad Dynasty ruled in the 1st century BC.
- In the top left, there is a lion with a cross. This was the symbol for the Bagratuni dynasty. They ruled during the Middle Ages, from the 7th to the 11th centuries. During their time, Armenia became very rich in culture. Its capital city, Ani, was a major center for culture, trade, and people.
- In the top right, you'll see a two-headed eagle. This was the symbol of the Arsacid Dynasty of Armenia. They were the first rulers of a Christian Armenia. In 301 AD, King Tiridates III made Armenia the first Christian nation. This dynasty ruled from the 1st century AD until 428 AD.
- In the bottom right, there is another lion with a cross. This was the symbol of the Rubenid dynasty. They ruled the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. This kingdom grew and did very well in the 12th and 13th centuries.
The Eagle and Lion
The eagle holds the shield on the left side, and the lion holds it on the right.
The eagle was a symbol for the Artaxiad Dynasty and later for the Arsacid Dynasty of Armenia. It holds the part of the shield that represents the Artaxiad Dynasty.
The lion was a symbol for the Bagratuni Dynasty and later for the Rubenid Dynasty. It holds the part of the shield that represents the Rubenid Dynasty.
These animals were chosen because they represent important qualities. They stand for power, courage, patience, wisdom, and nobility.
Five Important Elements
There are five special items at the bottom of the coat of arms:
- The sword shows the nation's power and strength. It also means breaking free from being controlled by others.
- The broken chain represents the hard work the nation put in to become free and independent.
- The wheat ears show that the Armenian people are hardworking.
- The feather stands for the smart and cultural history of the Armenian people.
- The ribbon has the same colors as the flag of Armenia.
History
Coat of Arms of the Democratic Republic of Armenia
The coat of arms we see today started with the Democratic Republic of Armenia (DRA) in 1918. An early version of this coat of arms was used back then. The symbols were placed a bit differently, and the eagle and lion looked a bit more fierce. Also, only Mount Ararat was shown, without Noah's Ark.
This early coat of arms was designed by Alexander Tamanian, an architect famous for planning the city of Yerevan. Artist Hakob Kojoyan also helped design it.
Transcaucasian SFSR
In 1922, Armenia joined with Georgia and Azerbaijan to form the Transcaucasian SFSR. This new state had its own coat of arms. It combined designs from all three groups. It even had both Islamic art and communist symbols together. For example, it showed the crescent moon for the Azeris, and Mount Ararat for the Armenians.
Soviet Coat of Arms
In 1937, Armenia got a new coat of arms. Like the DRA version, it showed Mount Ararat. But it also included the Soviet hammer and sickle and a red star. Turkey didn't like that Mount Ararat was on the coat of arms, because the mountain is in Turkey. However, the Soviet government said that just like Turkey's symbol was the crescent moon, it didn't mean they claimed the moon itself.
The Soviet Union broke apart in 1991. After that, Armenia became an independent country again and brought back a version of its original coat of arms.
Related pages
See also
In Spanish: Escudo de Armenia para niños
