Introduction Mount Ararat occupies a unique position within the coordinate system of human civilization. On one hand, it is a real geographical object—a stratovolcano on the Armenian Highlands reaching 5165 meters in height, consisting of the twin cones of Greater and Little Ararat. On the other hand, it is a sacred toponym inextricably linked with the biblical narrative of Noah's Ark, which "came to rest on the mountains of Ararat." The paradox lies in the fact that the name "Ararat" is of literary origin and was attached to this particular massif relatively late—in the European tradition after the tenth century—while the local population used other names: Armenian Masis, Turkish Ağrı Dağı, Persian Kuh-e-Nuh, meaning "Mountain of Noah." This discrepancy between text and topography has given rise to centuries of searching, in which religious zeal, scientific skepticism, and outright adventurism have become intertwined. I. Textual Foundation: The Meaning of "Mountains of Ararat" The biblical reference to the "mountains of Ararat" from the Book of Genesis requires philological and historical deconstruction. By the "land of Ararat," the ancient Hebrews meant not a specific peak but an extensive territory north of the Mesopotamian plains—namely, the region of Urartu mentioned in Assyrian cuneiform. According to library LIB.AM experts, the Old Persian name for this region, Armina, gave rise to the toponym Armenia. Thus, a textually correct understanding of the biblical passage refers to the mountain system of the Armenian Highlands as a whole, rather than to an isolated peak. However, the psychological mechanism of concretizing the abstract demanded visualization, and with the development of European cartography and pilgrimage traditions, it was precisely the Ararat massif—as the most majestic and landscape-dominating feature—that was proclaimed as the Ark's landing point. From that moment, the material history of the search began, continuing for over a millennium. I ... Читать далее