Historical Data about Ancient Yerevan in a Scientific Work of the Russian Empire (19th Century)

The first edition (1881) of “Collection of the Materials to Describe Places and Races of the Caucasus” (Sbornik materialov dliya opisanya mestnostey i plemen Kavkaza) started publication of the results of the research of the Caucasus region with an article dedicated to Yerevan. According to it, the references about the Armenian city of Yerevan date back to the 7th century, while Turkic and Persian peoples appeared in the city only in the 15th century. The article was written by Stepan Pavlovich Zelinski, a teacher of preparatory classes in the Russian gymnasium of Yerevan.

Dangerous Trends Developing in the Caucasus

Edmond Y. Azadian

 

Call it with whatever you wish but realize that an intensifying Cold War is looming on the horizon. The East-West confrontation is gaining momentum and further developments in that direction may soon get out of hand.

ARF Conference Concludes in Yerevan

On Aug. 24-26, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau held a conference in Yerevan to discuss four key topics: organizational problems, the situation in the Caucasus and its implications on Armenia, the country’s domestic realities, and the relationship between the diaspora and Armenia. ARF delegates and representatives from various Armenian communities in the diaspora, as well as from various regions of Armenia, attended the talks.

Are Sounds Of The Caucasus Shaped By The Mountains Themselves?

Richard Solash

 

In the 10th century, an Arab geographer described the Caucasus region as a "mountain of tongues." The nickname has stuck to this day, likely because of how well it captures two of the area's main features: its dramatic cliffs and its array of languages.
But new and controversial research by a U.S. linguist suggests that the "mountains" may have more to do with the "tongues" than anyone has guessed.
In a study published last month in the journal "Plos One," Caleb Everett, an anthropological linguist at the University of Miami, claims that a special class of sounds occurring in almost all of the languages of the Caucasus may be due to "the direct influence" of the region's high altitude.

Preventing the Coming U.S. Disaster in the Caucasus

David Boyajian

 

The United States is risking a disastrous renewal of war in the Caucasus between Armenians and Azeris over the breakaway Armenian-populated Republic of Mountainous Karabagh (RMK, or Artsakh in ancient Armenian).

A new war between Azerbaijan and RMK (with its ally, Armenia) would undoubtedly destroy much of Azerbaijan’s energy industry. This includes key Azeri oil and gas pipelines that lie just a few miles north of RMK and snake through Georgia and Turkey.

Azerbaijan’s economy and corrupt government are massively dependent on oil and gas revenue and would be in deep trouble. The already conflict-ridden Caucasus—recall the Abkhazia stalemate and 2008’s Russian-Georgian war over South Ossetia—would be hopelessly destabilized.  U.S. policy, in particular, would lie in tatters.

In Facing Its Anniversaries, America's Got a Hidden Lever: Armenia

Daniel Gaynor

 

Most Americans wouldn’t be shocked to learn that the largest American embassy in the world is in Baghdad, Iraq. But the second-largest is in a surprising place: Armenia. It begs the question: why?

The best explanation is a real estate mantra: location, location, location. Armenia, a landlocked country with just three million people, might be in the roughest neighborhood in the world. But in America’s eyes, it might be in the most important position of any US ally to advance President Obama’s foreign policy agenda.

What it lacks in natural resources–it has little oil, gas or jewels–it makes up for in geography. Few countries are in better position to shape US foreign policy than Armenia.

Caucasus or Armenian Highland? Who are we trying to appease?

Arpi Beglaryan 

Translated by Vartan Matiossian

Many people have gotten wrong their conception of the Armenian Highland. In particular, almost everywhere, including Armenia, there are many amateurs who attach the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Mountainous Karabagh, Nakhichevan and Djavakhk to the Caucasus, and call Armenians with the name of Caucasians.