Draft:Swinging Column (Tatev Monastery)

Swinging Column or Gavazan (Armenian: Գավազան) is an octagonal monument located within the Tatev Monastery complex in the Syunik region of Armenia. Built in the year 906, this unique structure stands at a total height of 9 meters. What sets Gavazan apart is its remarkable ability to sway or swing without collapsing, making it the only structure in the complex to have survived the test of time, remaining intact despite centuries of existence.

Swinging Column in Tatev

The swaying motion of Gavazan is attributed to its innovative design, particularly its articulated construction at the base of the column. This design allows the monument to maintain a constant angle of 90° to the Earth's surface, ensuring its balance and stability. Over the years, Gavazan has become a symbol of resilience and architectural ingenuity, attracting visitors from around the world to marvel at its unique construction and historical significance.

Swinging Column in 1839

History

Based on the description of Stepanos Orbelyan (1250–1305), who lived about 400 years after the supposed establishment, the construction of the column is dated 904-906. In their valuable survey Ayvazyan and A. Badishyan note that Tatev's column is close to similar pre-Christian columns in its form and construction methods. It is known that in the 16th century, Arakel archbishop, who was from Syunik, installed a new khachkar (Armenian cross-stone) instead of the khachkar on the head of the pillar, which is still standing today.

With the naked and non-professional eye, one can see that the khachkar, imported later, is a foreign element to the general appearance of the pillar with its shape and dimensions. Khachkar looks like a toy placed on a giant pillar, which will fall anywhere. It is obvious that in the initial version of the pillar, in place of the khachkar, there was a different emblem compared to the size and nature of the pillar. The column is made of porous bluish basalt, and the current (probably also the former) khachkar is made of tuff rock. Probably, the previous khachkar was more incommeasurable to the appearance of the pillar, which forced Arakel to change it. At the beginning of the 10th century, the modification of the upper part of the pillar and the installation of the khachkar could be presented as a complete column construction. This is exactly the same phenomenon as building a church on the foundation of pre-Christian worshiping places, turning the monuments of inscriptions of the kings of Qajants country into khachkars.

Secret of the column

The views expressed about the function of the pillar are unfounded and illogical (checking the spiritual-energetic power of clergies, warning of earthquakes or alerting of approaching enemy cavalry). Surely, clergies did not have such spiritual strength to shake the pillar with their thoughts. If the pillar is swung due to an earthquake, it was not a warning, but a fact that an earthquake occurred, which is obvious even to a person far from the pillar. And in order for the column to swing from the sound of many horses' stamping with the foot, they must be very close, within visible distance. In short, they are childish explanations.

The examples of similar monuments, since prehistoric times show that they mostly had worshiping significance (sometimes they were set up as reminders of memorable historical events). I think that Tatev's column was also religious in its initial significance and was set up in pre-Christian times. The top part of it was modified, a khachkar was erected on it, it was turned into a Christian structure and with that the original meaning of the structure was obscured and forgotten. It is very likely that the top part of the column fell and broke during the devastating Moz earthquake in the 8th century and caused the top of the column to be modified and Christianized.

If we mentally remove the khachkar from the top of the Tatev pillar and recall the widespread symbols of the ancient world, then the first thing that will claim to be in the place of the khachkar are the arrow-statues, which archaeologists call phallus type monuments (see figure 1).

Tatev Monastery pillar

Starting from the 5th-4th millennia BC, the image of the arrow was widespread in the iconography of the Middle East. Later cuneiform inscriptions testify that it was the ideogram of an adverb in the name of Marduk, the eldest son of the Armenian God. Marduk was worshiped as the Son of God and was the supreme God of Babylon. Marduk was always represented on the momuments of Qajants (2nd millennium BC) with the image of a dart on a bagin or only a dart. One of Marduk's titles is marked with a symbol depicting a cross. Marduk is one of about 70 names of Marduk attested in cuneiform sources, which is identical to the name of the sacred mountain Maratuk in Sason province. The name of the mountain is the supreme oath of the people of Sason.

In the 1st millennium BC, the Supreme God of Qajants (Urartu) was also worshiped as the Son of God. In Qajants country the use of a symbol depicting an arrow was also widespread. And most importantly, a huge arrow was placed on the temple of the Son of God. The mythological names of Marduk and Son represent the God on the basis of whose worship Christianity arose as a sect in the Semitic environment.

The worship of this God among Armenians continued until the Christianization of Armenia, Tatev's column was previously a huge teg statue about 8.5m high, which was set up in a complex dedicated to the worship of the Son of God.

Engineering of the Column

Blueprint of the Column

The columns at Tatev Monastery are notable for their advanced engineering techniques, including precise stone carving and load distribution. The structural design features robust bases and intricate capitals.

Gallery

Tatev Monastery

Tatev Monastery

Tatev Monastery

References

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Categories:

• Monuments and memorials in Armenia
• Buildings and structures