աշխարաւանդ

Old Armenian

A coin of Bahram II wearing a crown with a tie

Etymology

Borrowed from an unidentified Iranian compound, the second part of which is *bandah (“tie”), on which see բանտ (bant). The first part is uncertain; perhaps it is identical with աշխարհ (ašxarh, “country; world”), in which case the compound is to be understood as the "tie of the realm". Related to Old Georgian შარავანდი (šaravandi, “royal crown”) and possibly to Old Armenian շարաւանդ (šarawand, “fetters”).

Noun

աշխարաւանդ • (ašxarawand)

1. crown tie
   • 5th century, Pʿawstos Buzand, Hayoc Patmutʿiwnʿ [History of the Armenians] V.38:

     Զսոյն եւ սպարապետին Մանուէլի սոյնպէս ետ տանել զթագաւորական պատմուճանն, սամոյր մ՚ եւ զգլխոյ պատիւ գարգմանակ ոսկի արծաթ, ու ի պատիւ գլխոյ ի վերայ գագաթանն ի թիկանց արծուոյն հանգոյցք թագի կապեալ աշխարաւանդ հանգոյց, եւ լանջաց պատիւ ապիզակ, որպէս օրէնք են ունել թագաւորաց․ եւ շիկակարմիր խորան, եւ ի վերայ խորանին արծուի նշան, եւ սրահակս մեծամեծ եւ կապուտակ երկնագոյն հովանոցս։

     Zsoyn ew sparapetin Manuēli soynpēs et tanel ztʻagaworakan patmučann, samoyr m’ ew zglxoy patiw gargmanak oski arcatʻ, u i patiw glxoy i veray gagatʻann i tʻikancʻ arcuoyn hangoycʻkʻ tʻagi kapeal ašxarawand hangoycʻ, ew lanǰacʻ patiw apizak, orpēs ōrēnkʻ en unel tʻagaworacʻ; ew šikakarmir xoran, ew i veray xoranin arcui nšan, ew srahaks mecamec ew kaputak erknagoyn hovanocʻs.

     • Translation by Nina G. Garsoïan

       He likewise sent royal robes to the sparapet Manuēl, sables, and a gargmanak diadem of gold and silver for the head with the knot over the crest of the diadem behind the eagle tied in an ašxarawand knot, and an apizak chest ornament [patiw], as is the rule for kings; also a crimson pavilion with the insignia of an eagle on top of it and very large hangings, as well as a sky-blue canopy.

Usage notes

• Attested only in Buzand.
• Presumably referred to the knot tying the royal diadem over the crown and from which flowed the undulating ribbons denoting the "royal glory" of the Iranian monarchs.
• To be distinguished from աշխարհաւանդ (ašxarhawand, “tavern”).

Related terms

• բանտ (bant)
• -աւանդ (-awand)

Descendants

• → Armenian: աշխարավանդ (ašxaravand) (learned)

Further reading

• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1971) “աշխարաւանդ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume I, Yerevan: University Press, page 217a
• Awgerean, Mkrtičʻ, Čēlalean, Grigor (1865) “աշխարաւանդ”, in Aṙjeṙn baṙaran haykaznean lezui [Pocket Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 99b
• Hacʻuni, Vardan (1923) Patmutʻiwn hin hay tarazin [History of ancient Armenian dress], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 96
• Hovhannisyan, L. Š. (2010) “աշխարաւանդ”, in Grabari baṙaran. Nor haykazyan baṙaranum čʻvkayvac baṙer [Dictionary of Old Armenian. Words Unattested in the New Haykazyan Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Edit Print, page 44b
• Hübschmann, Heinrich (1897) Armenische Grammatik. 1. Theil: Armenische Etymologie (in German), Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, page 101
• Malxaseancʻ, Stepʻan (1944) “աշխարաւանդ”, in Hayerēn bacʻatrakan baṙaran [Armenian Explanatory Dictionary] (in Armenian), volume I, Yerevan: State Publishing House, page 193b
• Rapp, Stephen H. (2001) “From Bumberazi to Basileus: Writing Cultural Synthesis and Dynastic Change in Medieval Georgia (K‛art‛li)”, in Antony Eastmond, editor, Eastern Approaches to Byzantium (Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies Publications; 9), Ashgate Publishing, pages 115–116
• Rapp, Stephen H. (2014) The Sasanian World through Georgian Eyes: Caucasia and the Iranian Commonwealth in Late Antique Georgian Literature, Ashgate Publishing, pages 357–358
• Russell, James R. (2004) Armenian and Iranian studies (Harvard Armenian texts and studies; 9), Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, page 706