Hayk

Hayk

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Hayk

A statue of Hayk in Yerevan.

Hayk (, also transliterated as Haik) is the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation. His story is told in the History attributed to Moses of Chorene (5th to 7th century).

Etymology
In Moses of Chorene

Genealogy
Defeat of Bel

Comparative mythology
References
See also
External links

Etymology

It should be noted that the name of the patriarch, Hayk, is not exactly homophonous with the name for "Armenia", Hayk?. Nevertheless, both are usually connected to the hay- stem of the self-designation of the Armenians, Hayer. Hayk would then be an aitiological founding figure, like e.g. Dan for the Danes, Seaxn?at for the Saxons, etc. The standard etymology for hay-, the self designation of the Indo-European Armenians (as opposed to the Urartians), is a derivation from Indo-European *poti-s, meaning "lords". These Indo-European tribes may have settled Armenia in the 8th century BC, in particular in the period of the Cimmerian invasions, when Sargon II mentions a king of part of Armenia who bore the Indo-Iranian name Bagadatti ("Theodore").^[1]

A connection made in Armenian historiography of the Soviet era, with Hayasa mentioned in Hittite inscriptions, is not tenable on phonological grounds.^[2]

In Moses of Chorene

In Moses' account, Hayk son of Torgoma gives birth to Armaneak while living in Babylon, but after the arrogant Titanid Bel makes himself king over all, Hayk emigrates to the Ararat region with an extended household of at least 300 and settles, founding a village he names Haykashen. On the way he also leaves a detachment in another settlement with his grandson Kadmos. Bel sends one of his sons to entreat him to return, but he is refused. Bel then marches against him with a massive force, but Hayk is warned by Kadmos of his approach. He assembles his own army on the shore of Lake Van and tells them they must defeat and kill Bel, or die trying, rather than become his slaves.

Genealogy

Moses gives Hayk's genealogy as: Japhet, Gomer, Tiras, Torgom, and his descendants as Armaneak, Aramais, Gegham, Harma, Aram, Ara Keghetzig.^[3] Hayk was also the founder of the Haykazuni dynasty. Some other Armenian princely houses - Khorkhoruni, Bznuni, Syuni, Vahevuni, Manavazian, Arran etc. - trace their genealogy back to Hayk. According to Juansher Hayk "..was prince of the seven brothers and stood in service to the giant Nimrod (Nebrovt') who first ruled the entire world as king.^[4]"

Defeat of Bel

Hayk then discovers Bel's host in a mountain pass (that Moses locates at the site of Dastakert), with Bel himself in the vanguard.

In the Battle of Dyutsaznamart, near Julamerk southeast of Lake Van, dated to August 11, 2492 BC by Mikayel Chamchian^[5], Hayk slays Bel with a lucky arrow, sending his force into disarray.

He establishes the castle of Haykaberd at the battle site and the town of Haykashen in the Armenian province of Taron (modern-day Turkey). He names the region of the battle Hayk? "Armenia", and the site of the battle Hayoc? Jor ????? ??? "gorge of the Armenians".^[6] But the hill where Bel with his warriors fell Hayk called Gerezmank.^[7] Hayk embalmed the corpse of Bel and ordered it to be taken to Hark and to be buried in a high place in the view of his wives and sons.

Comparative mythology

The figure slain by Hayk's arrow is variously given as Bel or Nimrod. Hayk is also the name of the Orion constellation in the Armenian translation of the Bible. Just as Hayk fled from Babylon because of Bel, whom he eventually killed, so Zeus had escaped to the mountains of the Caucasus, later to return to Sicily and hurl fatal arrows into the bodies of his titanic foes.