Geographical Overview

The highest peak of the Armenian Highlands, Mount Ararat, is currently located within the territory of Turkey. Its elevation is 5,165 m. In terms of relative height (approximately 4,300 m), Ararat ranks among the most prominent mountains in the world.

The mountain consists of two peaks:

• Greater Ararat (Masis) — 5,165 m;
• Lesser Ararat (Sis) — 3,925 m.

Ararat lies 16 km east of the Armenian-Turkish border. It is situated between the cities of Bayazet and Igdir, between the Araks and Aratsani rivers.

The straight-line distance between the summits of Masis and Sis is approximately 10 km. On the northeastern slope lies a deep ravine known as “Vih Maseats” (“The Abyss of the Great Mountain”), which extends for nearly 10 km from the foot of the mountain toward its summit. In its upper section, the ravine reaches a depth of 1,000 meters.

The summit is covered with permanent snow, from which approximately 30 glaciers originate. The circumference of Ararat’s base is about 130 km, while the total area of the mountain massif is approximately 1,200 km².

According to some measurements, the actual elevation of Ararat is 5,137 m, and this figure appears on a number of topographic maps.

Ararat is located in one of the active seismic zones of the Armenian Highlands.

The First Ascent of Ararat: Khachatur Abovian at the Summit

According to the account of the Armenian historian Faustus of Byzantium, in the 4th century, Bishop Saint Hakob of Mtsbin, accompanied by a group of people, attempted to reach the summit of Masis via its northeastern slope, hoping to see Noah’s Ark.

When God saw their efforts were in vain and heard Hakob’s prayers, He sent him a piece of wood from the sacred Ark through an angel, indicating that the summit of Ararat was inaccessible to mortals. According to church tradition, this relic is still preserved in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

More reliable information about the mountain reached Europe through the accounts of French travelers Jean Chardin (1673) and Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1701). However, they, too, considered Ararat inaccessible.

On September 8, 1829, Professor Friedrich Parrot of the University of Dorpat arrived in Etchmiadzin with his expedition. His objective was to climb Ararat and conduct a comprehensive study of the mountain.

Khachatur Abovian joined the expedition as its interpreter, at Parrot’s invitation and with the consent of the Catholicos.

On September 10, the group set out for Ararat. Their base was the Monastery of Saint Hakob in the village of Akori.

First Attempt

On September 12, the expedition reached an elevation of 4,365 m but was forced to turn back because of insufficient food supplies and the dangers of descending at night.

Second Attempt

On September 18, the group attempted the ascent from the western side. At an elevation of 4,591 m, the climbers encountered a glacier approximately 1.5 m thick and a rocky barrier. Due to poor weather conditions, they had to abandon the attempt.

Third Attempt

The third attempt began on September 26. At 3:15 a.m. on September 27, the expedition finally reached the summit.

Khachatur Abovian erected a wooden cross, approximately 1.5 meters tall, that he had brought with him. Finding nothing else to take as a souvenir, he chipped off a small piece of ice and wrapped it in his handkerchief.

Biblical Ararat

According to the Book of Genesis (8:4), after the Great Flood, Noah’s Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat, which became the cradle of a renewed humanity.

The Church Slavonic translation reads:

“And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.”

Many historians and biblical scholars believe that the word “Ararat” is the Hebrew name for the kingdom of Urartu, a historical predecessor of Armenia.

Nevertheless, Mount Ararat is traditionally regarded as the place where Noah’s Ark came to rest. Many Christians adhere to this interpretation, as Ararat may have been among the first peaks to emerge above the waters of the Flood.

For this reason, Ararat is often referred to as the Biblical Mountain.

Ararat or Masis?

The mountain sacred to Armenians is known by two names: Ararat and Masis.

Ararat is an extinct volcano. According to geological estimates:

• Greater Ararat (Masis) is approximately 3.5 million years old;
• Lesser Ararat (Sis) formed approximately 150,000 years ago.

The Origin of the Name “Masis”

The earliest explanation is attributed to Movses Khorenatsi. In his History of Armenia, he states that the name derives from Amasia, a descendant of Hayk, the legendary patriarch and forefather of the Armenians.

According to one interpretation, “Ma” is associated with the concept of a mother, while “Masis” may mean “Mother Sis.”

The Origin of the Name “Sis”

Armenologist Hamlet Martirosyan interprets the root “sis” as meaning “point” or “peak.” According to this explanation, Sis refers to a mountain with a pointed summit.

The Origin of the Name “Ararat”

Another ancient interpretation suggests that the word “Ararat” consists of the repeated root “Ar,” associated with the name of the ancient deity Ar or Ara.

According to ancient legends, the gods, led by the patriarch Ara, dwelled on Mount Ararat.