Medieval and Manuscripts

Ancient Armenian poetry

Alongside old Armenian historiography and translated literature, poetry constituted a significant part of Armenian literature from the 5th to the 18th centuries. The rich tradition of oral literature preceded written poetry. The earliest examples of ancient Armenian poetry were religious; the first collection of spiritual verses was compiled in the 7th century. It was precisely then that secular poetry began. The oldest surviving poem in the Armenian language dates back to the 7th century. Grigor Narekatsi and Nerses IV the Gracious are considered the most influential poets who created before the 17th century. The literature of the 12th to 17th centuries represents the transition of Armenian civilization from the classical era to the contemporary. From the 13th century, a period of flourishing love poetry begins, and the theme of emigration is touched upon for the first time in verse. Epic poems appeared in the 15th-16th centuries. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the most popular was ashough poetry. The works of Armenian poets were first published in 1513 in Venice. Old Armenian poetry was characterized by the use of accented rhyme.

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See also

• ▸Alba Iulia
• ▸GER Class C53
• ▸Alba Iulia

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