David of Sassoun

The statue of David of Sassoun in Yerevan, "one of the most outstanding landmarks in Armenia" by Yervand Kochar (1959)[1]

David of Sassoun (Armenian: Սասունցի Դավիթ Sasuntsi Davit) is the main hero of Armenia's national epic Daredevils of Sassoun, who drove Arab invaders out of Armenia.

The Daredevils of Sassoun (also known as after its main hero David of Sassoun) is an Armenian national epic poem recounting David's exploits. As an oral history, it dates from the 8th century, and was first put in written form in 1873 by Garegin Srvandztiants.[2][3] He also published other ethnographic books.[3]

David of Sassoun is the name of only one of the four acts, but due to the popularity of the character, the entire epic is known to the public as David of Sasun. The epic's full name is Sasna Tsrer (The Daredevils of Sasun).

Modern Armenian writer Hovhannes Tumanyan later penned a poem of the same name retelling the story of the David of Sasun in a more modern language.

References

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  1. Bedevian, Ruth (15 February 2007). "Yervand Kochar - Incomparable Talent Evoked the National Spirit of Armenia". Armenian News Network / Groong. University of Southern California. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  2. Haroutyunian, S. B. (1990). "Գարեգին Սրվանձտյանցը և հայկական հերոսավեպը (Գ. Սրվանձտյանցի ծննդյան 150-ամյակի առթիվ) [Garegin Srvandztiants and the Armenian Heroic Epic (on the 150th anniversary of his birth)]". Patma-Banasirakan Handes (in Armenian) (1): 3–9.
  3. 1 2 Hacikyan, Agop Jack; Basmajian, Gabriel; Franchuk, Edward S.; Ouzounian, Nourhan (2005). "Garegin Srvandztiants". The Heritage of Armenian Literature: From the eighteenth century to modern times. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. pp. 372–374. ISBN 9780814332214. External link in |contribution= (help)


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