David of Sassoun

David of Sassoun (Armenian: Սասունցի Դավիթ Sasuntsi Davit also spelled David of Sasun) is the main hero of Armenia's national epic Daredevils of Sassoun, who drove Arab invaders out of Armenia.[2][3][4]

A 1959 statue to David of Sassoun Yerevan, by Yervand Kochar[1]

Background

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.[5][6] He also published other ethnographic books.[6]

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 Sassoun. The epic's full name is Sasna Tsrer (The Daredevils of Sassoun).

In 1902, the prominent Armenian poet and writer Hovhannes Tumanyan penned a poem of the same name retelling the story of the David of Sassoun in a more modern language.[4]

In 2010, an animated film was produced called Sasna Tsrer, directed by Arman Manaryan, covering the first three cycles of Daredevils of Sassoun.[7] The 80-minute animated film took 8 years to create.[8]

In 2012, UNESCO included the epic in their Intangible Cultural Heritage List.[2][3]

References
  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. "UNESCO - Decision of the Intergovernmental Committee: 7.COM 11.2". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  3. "UNESCO - Performance of the Armenian epic of 'Daredevils of Sassoun' or 'David of Sassoun'". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  4. "David of Sassoon". www.arak29.am. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. "Sasna Tsrer full-length animation film to premier January 25 in Yerevan". PanARMENIAN.Net. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  8. "80-minute film in 8 years". youth.am. Retrieved 2020-12-31.


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