Coat of Arms of Armenia

The Coat of Arms of Armenia consist of an eagle and winged lion standing with a shield. It combines new and old symbols. The eagle and winged lions are ancient Armenian symbols that originate from the first Armenian kingdom that existed prior to Christ.

The shield itself consists of many components. In the center is a depiction of Mount Ararat where Noah's boat is supposed to have beached after the great flood. Around this central symbol are symbols for old Armenian dynasties. In the lower left is the symbol of the Artaxiad Dynasty that ruled in the 1st century BC. In the upper left is the symbol for the Bagratid dynasty that ruled during the Middle Ages. That dynasty was destroyed by a Mongol invasion in the 9th century AD. In the upper right is the symbol for the first dynasty to make Armenia a Christian nation, the Arsacids. In the lower right is the symbol of the Rubenid dynasty that was responsible for Greater Armenia that grew rapidly and was prosperous during the 12th, and 13th centuries. It would be destroyed by the Ottoman Turks however.

From that point on, Armenia was ruled by foreign nations until 1922, when the nation enjoyed a brief period of independence. This coat of arms originates from that period, and the sword at the bottom is an important element in that it signifies breaking the chain of foreign rule and a desire to defend Armenia.

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