Astłik

Astłik (Աստղիկ) was the Armenian goddess of fertility and love, and consort of Vahagn. In the later pre-Christian period she became the goddess of love, maidenly beauty, and of water sources and springs. The Vardavar festival devoted to Astłik that was celebrated in mid July became the Christian holiday of the Transfiguration of Jesus, and is still celebrated by Armenians. As in pre-Christian times, people release doves and throw water on each other. One tradition says she was Noah's daughter, born after his flood. Astłik was originally the goddess creator of heaven and earth, and was later demoted to the position of "maiden". This change in the pantheon occurred as Aramazd became creator and Anahit became known as Great Lady and Mother Deity (the moon being worshipped as her personification). They form a trinity in the pantheon of Armenian deities. In the period of Hellenistic influence, Astłik became similar to the Greek Aphrodite and the Mesopotamian Ishtar. Her name is the diminutive of the Armenian աստղ ISO, meaning "star". The word is from Proto-Indo-European *h2stḗr and is cognate with Sanskrit stṛ́, Avestan star, Pahlavi star, Persian setār, astḗr. Her principal seat was in Ashtishat (Taron), located to the North from Muş, where her chamber was dedicated to the name of Vahagn and known as "Vahagn's bedroom". Vahagn was the personification of a sun-god, her lover or husband according to popular tales. Other temples and places of worship of Astłik had been located in various towns and villages, such as the mountain of Palaty (to the South-West from Lake Van), in Artamet (12 km from Van), etc. The unique monuments of prehistoric Armenia, vishap ("dragon stones") spread in many provinces of historical Armenia (i.e., Gegharkunik, Aragatsotn, Javakhk, Tayk, etc.), and are additional manifestations of her worship.