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The Urartu Civilisation

Before the Armenian people of Indo-European origin arrived in the Armenian highlands some time during the 9th century B.C., the region was inhabited by a people that were called Khalidia or Khalds (not to be confused with the Chaldea in Mesopotamia). 36 Their domain was called Urartu, first time mentioned in the scripts of Assurbanipal, the mighty Assyrian king, (885-860 B.C.) and included to the region around Lake Van.

Their language belonged neither to the Semitic nor to the Hittite linguistic families, but was probably Caucasian.. 38

Our knowledge of this original Armenia is partly drawn from the works of Armenian historians written later in the 2nd century but also from scripts written at the time in cuneiform by the Urartu kings, as well as their enemies and neighbours, the Assyrians. The sources of the 2nd century Armenian historians are in fact less reliable than the old cuneiform scripts.

This is because the information given in the Armenian accounts tends more to legend with little historical value. But the information detailed in the scripts of the Urartu kings and also those of the Assyrian kings are of great importance and it is through them that we have been able to understand the history of Armenia and its role in the region.

What is certain is that Armenia, or Urartu, was a noteworthy rival and enemy to the mighty Assyria and, next to Egypt, benefited from the first political organisation in history, long before Darius and Xerxes founded the infrastructure of the Persian Empire and created the Achaemenid dynasty.

H. Lynch, the English researcher, who traveled through out the whole region of Van wrote: "The spirit of this iron civilisation, which over-shadowed Assyria, seems still to be present in its victory arenas." 39

Assyria attempted on several occasions to conquer Urartu, but the highland nature of the country turned out to be perfectly suited to an excellent defence by the local people. The landscape was totally different from the flat and open landscapes which the Assyrians were used to. The Assyrian war machine was especially dependent on its war-chariots which were a terrifying sight for their enemies. But these chariots were useless in an area surrounded by mountains, rocks and narrow passages.

It seems that the original Armenia experienced some centuries of independence between the creation of the Urartu kingdom and the foundation of the first Persian dynasty. Among the first kings that ruled during this period we can mention King Arame (10th century B.C.), the founder of the Urartu dynasty, King Menoa and King Argishti I and Argishti II(8th century B.C.) could be mentioned. 46

The Urartu kings chose the city of Van as the capital of their kingdom and transformed it to an unreachable fortress. Often times during wars against the Assyrians they allied themselves with the Hittites and other people who lived in Syria. 47 In the year 782 B.C. king Argishti I founded the city of Erebouni, the present city of Yerevan and the capital of Armenia.