Vishap

 


Vishap is a dragon from Armenian mythology. He was depicted as a serpent with wings, often with features of other animals, such as horns. Vishap was closely associated with water. He was also venomous and able to taint everything around it, and associated with bad luck, curses and sudden tragedy.

Vishap was thought to live in the Armenian high, especially Mount Ararat. The volcanic activity of Mount Ararat was attributed to Vishap. Vishap was also associated with thunderstorms, causing them when he ascended into the sky or descended back down to the ground. He was even responsible for eclipstes.

Unusual for dragons, but much like European fairies, Vishap was thought to steal children and replace them with a dragon whelp from its own brood.

Vishap was slain by Vahagn, an important god in ancient pagan Armenia. He was the god of war, breviary and the sun. Vishap himself was also worshipped as an earlier god of water and fertility before becoming purely a monster.

Vishap is also associated with dragon stones. These are monoliths found in the Armenian highlands. The stones are cigar shaped and have bulls and fish carved onto them. They originally stood near or in mountain lakes, although many have been moved in modern times. Their exact age is unknown. One stone has an inscription added to from Urartu kingdom, making the stones at least from the 8th century BC. Likely much older, as it was clear this inscription was not part of the stone's original design. Most have been knocked down, but there are efforts to restore and right them in modern times.  


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