Mount Nemrut Armenia. The mystery of the stone heads on Mount Nemrut Dag in Turkey. Northern terrace of Nemrut dag

Friends, today you will read and see a place that simply captivated us at first sight. I noticed one strange thing: if a place has any strong energy, that is, it is essentially a place of power, then we get there very easily, and sometimes literally miraculously. The inaccessibility to the mountain with large stone heads of gods called Nemrut Dag and our path there became another proof of this. Believe me, you won’t regret it either when you learn more about this place.

“Wonderful” hitchhiking to Nemrut Dag.

And we continue to walk along the main street of Adiyaman, and along the way we try our luck to catch a car that will take us at least to the edge of the city. Yes, Turkey is so harsh that you can hitchhike even around the city; after 20 minutes we were sitting in a small truck that was taking us on our way out.

For some reason, all the Turks who give us a lift think that we are in no hurry. Of course, we are in no hurry, but this does not mean that we will sit in the car and wait for the driver to sleep, because he is tired after long hours of work, and then take us to Nemrut. This is exactly what the owner of the truck decided when we left the city. Having kindly sent him…to sleep, we went further along the highway.

Traffic towards Nemrut Dag was, to put it mildly, sparse, so we were very happy when another truck decided to pick us up, although it was already completely filled with Kurdish children and women. It seems that they were not justified, and the Kurds are no worse than the Turks in terms of their desire to help. Free place It was only found in the back, from where two boys who couldn’t fit into the cab looked at us fearfully, and it smelled like cow waste. In such a romantic atmosphere, we covered 40 km while standing, while there were still about 20 km to the goal.

I did not expect that the very first wave of my hand would stop in front of us a car completely stuffed with bags, some of which even rested on the back of the driver’s head. There was only one seat available in the front, and it was there, out of desperation, that Mila and I crowded together with our backpacks. To be honest, I don’t know how we were able to fit there, thank God, it didn’t take long to drive, otherwise I would have remained bent in four :).

We landed right at the turn up the mountain; there was another 13 km ahead and a completely deserted road. I didn’t even know if there were any villages ahead so that local transport could pick us up. There was absolutely no point in walking, especially considering that the heads are located on a mountain 2100 meters high, which means that it is absolutely not hot there at night and I didn’t want to spend the night there. Then we sit down by the road and wait.

An hour passed and not a single car. Mila and I were already beginning to doubt that there was anything on wheels here at all, when suddenly a minibus appeared around the bend. We jumped to our feet and waved our arms. The car stopped, the driver immediately understood where we needed to go and, without further ado, put us in the cabin.

We thought that he would take us at least to the nearest village, but in the end we stopped right at the ticket office before driving up the mountain. And, apparently, this was not the final stop yet, so we just paid 9 liras (180 rubles) per person. Who knew that the driver would actually be one of the builders who are now beautifying Nemrut Dag for tourists?! That's right, we were taken straight to the mountain, which personally reminded me of a real pyramid. I will not say that this is it, but when you see the remains of the gods, I think you will doubt it too.

Collapsed sculptures of the gods of the Turkish “Olympus”.

We left our backpacks with the Kurdish workers to make it easier to explore the area. They even told us that they would find a place to stay if needed. Mila, after the pestering Turks and the tales about the Kurds, was not at all eager to agree to this proposal.

Work here was in full swing; they were building a concrete staircase right up to the mountain, carrying materials on donkeys along a side path. The stairs had not yet been completed, so we walked the rest of the way over rocks.

When I saw the first head, everything inside me stopped with admiration. With every step, a whole platform opened up before our eyes, where giant sculptures used to stand. Mila, as always, simply flew up, although downstairs she could barely move her legs from the heat and the weight behind her back.

From the mountain there was an amazing view of hills and mountains for many kilometers in the distance. They say that the Olympian gods lived in Greece, but at that moment it seemed to me for a moment that this was where Olympus was.

It's probably worth looking into the history of the origin of this place.

The origin story of Nemrut Dag.

Once existed small state called Commagene, and was ruled by King Antiochus from a dynasty of Greco-Persian origin. On his mother's side, the vain king was a descendant of the famous Alexander the Great. And the king’s pride was so strong that in the end he declared himself God, after which he decided, in order not to be unfounded, to recreate his personality in art along with the pantheon of Gods already existing at that time.

Antiochus did not skimp when he built Mount Nemrud sanctuaries for the gods, inviting the best workers and sculptors of the time. Construction began in 62 BC, and three terraces were built, on the topmost of which were placed figures of gods, guarded by statues of eagles and lions.

When the construction was finally completed, by decree of the king, a paved road was laid out to the 2000-meter high mountain. All the people had to climb it and worship at the statues twice a month. Tired travelers were greeted by a huge inscription: “I, Antiochus, built this temple to glorify myself and my gods.”

It is unknown how long this lasted, only after the death of the king, his subjects buried his ashes on the top, erecting a fifty-meter marble pyramid above his tomb.

After this, the sanctuary was forgotten. Only occasionally, due to numerous earthquakes, the collapsing massive figures of gods puzzled lost travelers, until in 1953 a group of American geologists found the stone heads.

But, and that’s not all, on the other side of the pyramidal mountain, on which for some reason a bunch of small stones were poured, I found copies of exactly the same heads and dilapidated sculptures. And right in front of them is a large platform, more reminiscent seat for a helicopter.

Now take a closer look at these two photographs, these are heads from different sides of the mountain of the same “god” (presumably King Antiochus himself)....what is your opinion?

Did you also think that with reverse side Are the sculptures smaller and more “artisanal”? This is exactly what it really is.

My opinion is this: during the heyday of the Nth Empire, dilapidated sculptures left by more ancient civilizations were accidentally discovered. The find amazed the ruler so much that he convened his best sculptors, who tried to repeat the ideality of the lines and proportions of the “gods,” but as you can see, the task turned out to be impossible, but completed.

I even climbed to the very peak of the “pyramid”. Apparently, I’m not the first, as I found the remains of candles and other ritual accessories. By the way, the site here is flat, and if you believe some historical sources, then at the very top of the pyramid there should be a silver cone.

Despite the fact that the place is not very promoted and not completed, there are enough tourists here, mostly independent travelers on personal transport. One of these turned out to be the French, who arrived here in a house on wheels. By the way, I saw it on the lower levels of the mountain, probably the guys decided to spend the night here, lucky guys!

We exchanged a few words with the French in English and found out where they had already been and what other interesting things to see. I was interested in a settlement called , but we will tell you about this in due time.

With 17 Kurds in one car.

I don’t know how much time we spent on the “Olympic” mountain, but when we went down to get our things, the sun was beginning to set. I was also of the opinion that spending the night with a girl in the company of only men is not the best best idea. So we took our things and headed towards the road in the hope of some car with tourists returning home.

The builders’ working day was also coming to an end, and a couple of Kurdish guys saw us and asked where we were going. We said that we needed to go out, then they offered to give us a lift, but first it would be nice to have dinner. We were taken to a work trailer, treated to local soup and lemonade, and then seated in the very car in which we arrived. Only now in the cabin, besides us, there were 17 more guys, all Kurds. Unlike the Turks, which we really liked, the Kurds did not stare at Mila at all, but rather, on the contrary, they themselves seated us so that she felt as comfortable as possible in this crowd.

The guys not only took us to the highway, but also agreed with one of the workers who was traveling towards the town of Siverek to pick us up, where part of the route had to be covered by ferry. But even to the ferry it was not he who took us, but a minibus, yes, with ordinary passengers, only we rode for free. True, at the exit, one of the passengers began to demand payment, I never understood people who are trying to extract money from us, while not being the driver of the car we are driving. In general, I sent this comrade away when we found ourselves on the shore.

The ferry was supposed to arrive in an hour, which didn’t make us too happy, since it was time to look for accommodation for the night, and if we wasted time crossing, we’d have to pitch the tent in the dark. Okay, the ferry will wait until tomorrow, let's go look for a parking spot. This vegetable garden is ideal, and the river is nearby, which means you can wash your hair in the morning.

Nemrut Dag is a mountain located in the southeastern part of Turkey in the Adiyaman province, 96 km from the city of Malatya. Nemrut belongs to the East mountain range Taurus and is located at an altitude of 2150 m above sea level. Uniqueness natural object primarily lies in the ancient buildings and stone sculptures of the Hellenistic period preserved on its territory. In 1987, the ancient buildings of Nemrut Dag, due to their undeniable cultural value, were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Today, Nemrut Dağ is one of the most visited attractions in southeastern Anatolia. Although most often the residents of Turkey themselves come here, the monument is attracting more and more interest from foreign travelers every year. To realize the full value mountain peak, it is important to turn to the history of the origin of her unusual sculptures and designs.

Historical reference

Antiochus I

After the collapse of the empire of Alexander the Great in the 2nd century BC. in the area where Mount Nemrut is located, a small state called Commagene was formed. The founder of this ancient Armenian kingdom was a native of the Yervanduni dynasty named Ptomelius of Commagene. In 86 BC. His descendant Antiochus I comes to power in the empire - an energetic young man with high ambitions, often flowing into real delusions of grandeur. The ruler claimed that he came from the family of Alexander the Great, and with frantic zeal he tried to achieve the same glory as the great commander.

At the height of his madness and selfishness, Antiochus I decided to create a new religion that incorporated the traditions of Western Greek and Eastern Persian beliefs. The ruler declared himself the god of the Commagene kingdom and the main deity of the newly created faith. In 62 BC. Antiochus I ordered the construction of a tomb for himself on the top of Mount Nemrut. Following the example of Egyptian burial structures, the tomb was built in the shape of a pyramid. The outside of the sanctuary was decorated with stone sculptures of Greek and Persian deities ranging from 8 to 10 m in height. It is noteworthy that the statue of Antiochus himself was installed on equal terms among the sculptures of other gods.

Soon after the death of the ruler, the Roman Empire took possession of the lands of the Kingdom of Commagene, and the tomb was completely forgotten. Only in 1881 did German researchers manage to discover a lost historical complex, which at that time was known only to a few local residents. In 1953, on the top of Nemrut, the Germans, in a team with American scientists, staged a grandiose archaeological excavation, cleared and studied all the monuments of the mountain. Thanks to their efforts, any traveler can now visit the ancient complex in Turkey and touch the sculptures, which are more than 2000 years old.

What can you see on the mountain today

Currently, on Mount Nemrut Dag in Turkey, the ruins of a once majestic tomb have been preserved, the analogues of which have still not been found throughout the world. Scientists have not been able to name the exact reason for the destruction of this monument. Some of them believe that it was damaged by the numerous earthquakes that characterize the region. Others suggest that the damage to the object could have been caused by one of the foreign invaders. Nevertheless, individual fragments of the tomb have survived to this day in good condition. What can you see on the mountain?

The territory of the historical complex on Nemrut Dag is divided into three sections. Northern part The monument is completely destroyed and is of no interest. But among the ancient buildings of the eastern section there is a well-preserved pyramidal mound, 50 m high and 150 m wide. Presumably, this is where the body of Antiochus I was buried, but there is still no evidence to support this theory.

The statues of gods decorating the tomb have suffered serious damage over the centuries: without exception, all the sculptures sitting on the throne have lost their heads. Scientists who examined the monument found and cleared the missing parts and lined them up at the foot of the tomb. Among them are the heads of Hercules, Zeus, Apollo, the goddess of fortune Tyche and Antiochus I himself. Here you can also look at the faces of lions and eagles standing on the sides.

An interesting fact is that previously it was customary to depict statues of Greek and Persian gods in a standing position. Only occasionally, in temples dedicated to a particular deity, were sculptures installed in a sitting position. As we have already indicated, at the tomb of Antiochus all the gods are depicted seated on a throne, and this position was not chosen by chance. Thus, the ruler of Commagene wanted to show that the great gods found their abode precisely on the mountain near his tomb.

Some of the ancient monuments are located in the western section: these are statues of the same deities and animals of smaller sizes, as well as bas-reliefs with their images. The bas-relief with the figure of a lion, decorated with 19 stars and a crescent, is especially well preserved. Researchers are confident that the date of construction is encrypted in it. ancient complex(62 BC)

In addition to architectural artifacts, Mount Nemrut in Turkey is famous for its breathtaking panoramas. Especially beautiful views You can watch it here during sunrise and sunset. But even in the daytime, local landscapes appear as bright pictures of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

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How to get there

The road to the mountain is quite difficult and takes a lot of time. The Adiyaman province in Turkey, where Nemrut Dag is located, includes the capital of the same name, in which the airport closest to the site is located. The distance between them is about 60 km. Several flights depart from Istanbul Airport to Adiyaman every day Turkish Airlines Airlines. You can also get to the city from Ankara Airport once a day.

Upon arrival at the Adiyaman air harbor, you need to go to the city station, from where minibuses depart every half hour to Kakhta, the largest major city closest to the mountain. settlement(the distance between Nemrut-Dag and Kakhta is almost 54 km). And already at the bus station of this city you can catch dolmus all the way to the mountain. The minibus will take you to the mountain rise, from where you will only have to walk to the top.

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Nemrut Bay is a Turkish port, located in the northeastern part Aegean Sea. Russian river-sea class vessels often call at this port. They bring scrap metal here and remove steel reinforcement. Steel mills are located near the port. But there are no residential buildings near the port or near these factories. Workers are brought to the port by good buses Mercedes brand. Loaders in clean light uniforms get off the buses. When unloading scrap metal, the dust “stands like a pillar” and there is a roar. The factories are smoking. That's why there is no housing nearby. The loaders' shift is over, they change into clean clothes and take a clean bus home.
The motor ship "Sormovsky" is in the port, unloading scrap metal. The crew, off duty, sits in their cabins, there is nowhere to go, swimming in the port is prohibited, the shores near the port are dirty, and you can run into a piece of iron. You can’t call a taxi, you don’t have money, and you don’t know where to go. The captain decided to take a walk around the port. I reached the end of the piers, then there was a hill covered with bushes. I walked along the path. The path winds among the hills. Behind the first hill, an olive grove or garden opened up. It can be seen that trees grow in in a certain order, in rows. I picked an olive and tasted it - it was bitter. I climbed to the top of the next mountain and saw a town in the distance. I decided to go up to it and have a look. It’s interesting, I’ve been to this port several times, but this is the first time I’ve seen residential buildings here. From the port to the town there are three or four kilometers, but behind the hills this town is not visible. The town is very clean, or rather not a town, but in our opinion a village. There are various animals on the paths and nearby on the grass: cows, sheep, goats, and, of course, chickens, geese, ducks. Garbage is nowhere to be seen; near some houses there are closed garbage containers and trash cans.
Men sit in a cafe on the square, drink tea, talk, and play backgammon. There are no bottles of liquor or beer in sight. I went to the store to look
what they sell and what the prices are. Maybe order fresh fruits and vegetables for the ship. I tried to communicate with the seller in English, but he began to answer in broken Russian. It turned out that many Yugoslavs from Macedonia live in this village. How they got here - I didn’t bother to ask. Basically, it is not because of a good life that people leave their homes. Prices for food were higher than those of the ship chandlers supplying the ship. I inquired about the prices of alcohol. The price was several times higher than at the Istanbul roadstead. The seller explained it this way:
- Alcohol is not in demand here, no one buys it, that’s why the price is so high. We don’t bring beer either, no one takes it.
Like this local peculiarity. I left the store and went on a walk. Literally a few meters from the store they sell vegetables, like a small mini market. I inquired about the prices, they turned out to be quite reasonable. In addition, it is clear that they sell vegetables that they grew themselves. And since they grew it for themselves, then maybe they contain less nitrates than large producers. I ordered vegetables and fruits for the crew, they promised to deliver them in a few hours. The captain still has time, he walked along the path to the sea. At the end of the village there is an equipped sea beach. Benches, changing cabins, a toilet. A young man levels the sand with a rake and collects garbage. There are few swimmers. Nearby, women in long light trousers, light shirts and scarves on their heads, and then in normal swimsuits, are swimming nearby. Men in swim shorts. The captain regretted that he did not take swimming trunks with him. It’s hot, I’d also be happy to take a swim. But it's time to return to the ship. They promised to bring food. I went back the same way. In the hollow between the slides, several turtles were caught next to the path. I took one with me. Let him live in the cabin, it’s all some kind of entertainment. Brought it to the ship. He gave her a corner in the cabin, made a box, and brought her some pebbles and herbs. I wanted to put a bowl of water, but changed my mind. How will she get into it? And if you put her in this basin, she won’t get out of it. In any group there are always people who know everything, at least it seems so to them, and such an expert suggested that this is a land turtle and it only needs water for drinking. A saucer of drinking water was placed.
We finished the cargo work and received the fruits and vegetables ordered in the village. The sellers did not let us down, they kept their word and did not charge any money for delivery.
The cargo - steel reinforcement - was destined for the port of Azov. At night we approached
Dardanelles Strait. Passage of all difficult sections is carried out only under the command of the captain. The captain gets up from the sofa in his cabin to go to the bridge, and in the dark he steps on a turtle. I almost fell and twisted my ankle. And after that, every time I had to go somewhere, I had to carefully look at my feet. This brought some inconvenience to the captain's life.
Often you have to walk around the cabin in the dark without light, and here this turtle is under
feet. Where should I put it? I decided to wait for the next call to Nemrut Bay
and return the turtle to its native place.
The cargo was unloaded in Azov and went for loading in Rostov-on-Don. We arrived at the Rostov port on Sunday, and in anticipation of loading, we anchored the ship in the roadstead.
After lunch, the boat came alongside and a fire inspector arrived to inspect it. Climbed on board. Three women and several children remained on the deck of the boat:
“My wife, children and girlfriends decided to go for a ride with me,” explains the inspector.
“Then let them come on board and have a look at the ship,” the captain invites.
- No, don't. The children will still fall somewhere. They are interested in going on a boat ride.
The inspector checked the vessel, documentation, and fire-fighting equipment.
As always, I made a few minor comments. Without them it is impossible, the work is not visible. The time has come for the inspector to leave, but he hesitates for some reason, in no hurry.
drinking. The captain knows what’s going on, the inspector can’t just leave, it’s not for nothing that he went to work on his day off. But there is nothing to give him. There are no souvenirs, we only visited Nemrut Bay, and there was nothing to take there, we didn’t even buy alcohol. And then the inspector comes across a box with a turtle. Interested:
- What is this, where does it come from?
The captain explained where he got it and offered it:
- Oh, if you want, take it for yourself, you’ll make the kids happy. - And gives the turtle along with the box to the inspector.
- Well, I don’t know, I’ll have to ask my wife and kids.
- So, ask.
The inspector takes the turtle, goes out on deck and shows it to his wife and children. The children are immediately delighted. They even squealed with joy. So the issue with the gift was resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.
The boat moved away from the side and the senior engineer, who was directly involved in the inspection, remarked with a grin:
- Alekseevich, why did you start paying off inspectors with greyhound puppies?

Located in southeast Turkey mountain range Nemrut-Dag (Nemrut, Nemrud, Nemrut Dağ) is a cult symbol of the Hellenistic period. In the 1st century BC. e. here, at an altitude of 2150 meters above sea level, the tomb of Antiochus I Epiphanes was built, surrounded by statues eight meters high. The sanctuary is an eclectic monument of the Commagene kingdom, clearly illustrating the succession of kings in the dynasty.

Reflected in two versions of the legend - ancient Greek and Persian - the genealogies are reminiscent of the dual nature of the culture of the kingdom, in the pantheon of gods of which one can find Zeus, Apollo and Hercules, as well as the figures of a lion and an eagle. In 1987, the archaeological sites at the top of Mount Nemrut Dag were included in the List World Heritage UNESCO.

The best time to visit Nemrut Dag is from late May to early September, when pleasant warm weather sets in in the Taurus Mountains. Visit an iconic landmark late autumn And in early spring is complicated by low temperatures, and in winter by the abundance of snow that covers even the tallest sculptures. The only way to climb the mountain at this time of year is on skis. In the summer months, if you wish, you can watch the sunrise at Nemrut Dag by staying here overnight. However, even from June to August it is quite cold at night at higher elevations; You should take care of warm clothes in advance.

You can stay near Mount Nemrut-Dag in the village of Karadut, located 7 kilometers to the southeast. Guesthouses are located here guest houses And family hotels, whose owners organize sightseeing trips up the mountain accompanied by a local guide. You can also spend the night in Kahta and Adıyaman, 47 km southwest of the mountain.

How to get there

The closest city to Mount Nemrut-Dag is Kyakhta, located 24 kilometers to the south-west. A bus service connects Kyakhta with the cities of Adiyaman (travel time is about half an hour) and Malatya (Malatya, 55 km to the northeast, two and a half hours drive). They go from Adiyaman to Kyakhta about once every half hour minibuses"dolmush". The last dolmush from Kyakhta to the village of Karadut leaves at approximately three o'clock in the afternoon.

You can also get to Kyakhta from the city of Urfa (Şanlıurfa, 92 km to the south), from whose intercity bus terminal dolmushi run from early morning until about seven in the evening (travel time is about two and a half hours). In addition, direct bus services to Kyakhta depart from the city of Kayseri, which is located in Cappadocia, 300 km northwest of Nemrut Dag.

From Kyakhta you can get to Nemrut-Dag by dolmus and taxi from dawn to dusk. Drivers often act as guides, leading a short excursion through the picturesque surroundings. The climb up the mountain takes about half an hour; You should take care of comfortable shoes and clothes in advance.

Location

The Nemrut Dağ mountain range is located in the Taurus Mountains, within the Adiyaman silt, in the southeast.

Mount Nemrut- Armenia School of Parapsychology online! “...Do not give holy things to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces,” - Gospel of Matthew. One of these pearls in the culture of the Armenian people is the pantheon of Armenian pagan gods, located at the top mysterious mountain Nemrut, located in the southwest historical Armenia(today in Turkey), which rises 2150 meters above sea level and is unique historical monument It will soon be thirty years (in 1987) as included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. They say that there is no such sunrise and sunset as on Nemrut anywhere else. The history of this place, from the point of view of archaeologists, dates back to 62 BC. After the peace treaty with the Roman Republic in 66 BC. e., concluded in Artashat, the Armenian Kamakh (Commagene) became an independent kingdom, and Antiochus I Theos Ervanduni, who became the king of the independent Commagene, was crowned with the Armenian crown, handed to him from the hands of the “king of kings” Tigran II the Great himself. Antiochus I was destined for a great role in the history of Armenia and the Armenian people - to build a cone-shaped tomb and monuments exquisite with their masterpiece structures, among which the main ones are the statues of Armenian gods on the top of Mount Nemrut - these are huge seven-meter statues sitting on a throne. Around the cone-shaped tomb itself, the tombs were located giant statues of varying heights, reaching 10 meters! The central part of the tomb is a massive mound of small stones, the height of which is almost fifty meters, and the radius is about 150 meters. Among the monuments to the Armenian gods, there are 5 busts in a sitting position. In the very center there is a statue of the supreme god, the creator of heaven and earth, Aramazd, which is 9 meters high. To the right of Aramazd there is a statue of the goddess Astghik - in Armenian mythology the goddess (ditsui) of love and beauty, beloved of the god of thunder and lightning Vahagn. According to legend, after the love encounters of Astghik and Vahagn, it rained. On the other side of Aramazd is the shrine of the god of light and justice Mihra (Միհր - Mithra, Mher, Mher - the son of Aramazd, brother Anahit, depicted as a young man fighting a bull), who, according to legend, was born from a rock naked, but with covered with a head, which in the images resembles Armenian veils, on his right hand he holds a dagger, and on his other hand he holds a torch, with which he illuminates this world for the first time. He destroys darkness and spreads light to the earth. To the right of the trinity of main gods is the author and creator of these shrines - King Antiochus I. On the other side there is a statue of the god of war Vahagn Artagnes - the ancient Armenian dragon-slayer god. The shrines of Mount Nemrut are a monument of Armenian pre-Christian culture. Centuries have passed, and much has changed in the territory where these miraculous monuments of Armenian culture are exalted. According to the definition of some historians......... “Armenian mythology or Ditsabanutsyun (Հայ դիցաբանություն) - refers to the system of the most ancient ideas of the ancestors of modern Indo-European peoples, based on a complex of proto-Indo-European beliefs, religious views and cults of the ancient Armenians, which are still preserved in modern Armenian culture in the form traditions passed on from generation to generation and the primordial foundations of its identity. The initial cult of worship of the proto-Armenians was some incomprehensible High power, The mind called Ar. The physically visible embodiment of Ara was considered the Sun (Arev), which was worshiped by the ancient Armenians, who called themselves Arevordi (children of the Sun). Since ancient times, solar religious symbolism has occupied a special place in Armenian religiosity, existing outside of time and outside the history of its development.” Let's remember Arevakhach. “Information for thought”: 1. According to Khorenatsi, Hayk orders “Bel’s corpse... to be buried on a hill,” and according to the legend recorded by G. Svandztyants, the Armenian king “with the hand of God struck Bel, removed the top of Nemrut, dug a hole in this place, made a tonir , hung Bel inside and burned him.” If we remember the circularity of the tonir, the semantic relationship between the name Bel and the Armenian words blur and bolor, which is based on the ancient and productive root bhel, becomes clear. From the word bolor comes bolorel - to twist, curl, surround, complete a circle in the sense of finishing. These words are closely associated with reptiles, primarily snakes. 2. Nemrut is a legendary person with whom many legends and traditions are associated. According to the Armenian ancient legend, he is a foreign king who invaded Armenia. To exalt himself, he entered into a competition with God: he ordered the construction of a wonderful palace on the top of the mountain and, climbing onto its roof, he fired a bow into the sky, which angered God. Immediately Nemrut, together with his palace, fell into an opening abyss, and a lake formed in the place of the palace. I wonder what's in the crater extinct volcano Nemrut is a lake. According to the testimony of, for example, G. Srvandztyants, “on the top of Nemrut there is still a tonir with water, this water, going down under the mountain, forms the source of the Megraget River... The source of Megraget is a round pool in the Mush valley in the vicinity of the city of Odz (in Armenian “

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