Mount Ararat/Etchmiadzin Cathedral Wooden Box

Handcrafted Armenian Wooden Box with Mount Ararat and Etchmiadzin Cathedral, Home Décor, Jewelry Box

Handmade wooden box made from Walnut wood and decorated with Etchmiadzin Cathedral on the lid, the Mount Ararat on the front.

Length 15.5cm – 6.10in

Width 10cm – 3.93in

Height 6cm – 2.36in

Inside 13×7.5cm – 5.11×2.95in

Depth 4.5cm – 1.77in

Weight 283gr

Etchmiadzin Cathedral is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, located in the city of Vagharshapat and is often considered the oldest cathedral in the world.

The original church was built in the early fourth century between 301 and 303 according to tradition by Armenia’s patron saint Gregory the Illuminator following the adoption of Christianity as a state religion by King Tridates III. It was built over a pagan temple, symbolizing the conversion from paganism to Christianity. The core of the current building was built in 483/4 by Vahan Mamikonian after the cathedral was severely damaged in a Persian invasion. From its foundation until the second half of the fifth century, Etchmiadzin was the seat of the Catholicos, the supreme head of the Armenian Church.

Mount Ararat is associated with the “mountains of Ararat” in the Bible. It is the traditional resting place of Noah’s Ark according to the Book of Genesis. It is the main national symbol of Armenia and is considered a “holy mountain” by Armenians. One author described the Armenians as having “a sense of possession of Ararat in the sense of symbolic cultural property.” It is featured prominently in Armenian literature and art. Along with Noah’s Ark, it is depicted on the coat of arms of Armenia.

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