Tukh Manuk Shrine at Oshakan located in a cemetery atop the hill
Tukh Manuk (or Tux Manuk, (Armenian Թուխ Մանուկ), "Dark-skinned Youth") refers to archaic rural shrines in Armenia. Their origin is regarded to be pre-Christian or pagan,[1] but are now a part of a folk tradition existing within the Armenian Church.[2][3] Many are situated in church ruins or in crudely-built enclosures, others are well constructed stone chapels. Some of them are thought to date back to the 5th century, or even the BCE era.[4]
Tukh Manuk, Alapars, Lyrics by Avetik IsahakyanTukh Manuk chapel of Arinj
Quite popular throughout Armenia, such shrines are often on hilltops, at the sources of springs, or just outside villages. Some researchers have linked them to a proto-Indo-European deity cognate with Krishna or Shiva, a mischievous beautiful young man inhabiting the boundary between settlement and wilderness. Visiting Tukh Manuk shrines is traditionally popular with women. They are also visited by the Yazidis.[5][6] Pilgrims gather to make offerings or sacrifices for the curing of illnesses and burn candles.[7]
Tukh Manuk is the main character in numerous medieval and modern folk poems, and is mentioned in the Armenian national epic Daredevils of Sassoun. Its stories are based on oral traditions of the 8th to the 10th century and the acts by a Christian King David in the city Sasun fighting heroically against the Arab invaders.
^" Tukh Manuk' hushartsanneri masin." (About the "Swarthy Youth" Monuments), Russian summary, Armenian Folklore Bibliography, ANNE M. AVAKIAN, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS, 1994, p137
^Հայաստանի առեղծվածները - Թուխ մանուկի առեղծվածը, (Mysteries Of Armenia), Public TV of Armenia, Oct 21, 2015
^Tukh-Manuk Chapel Consecration in Shahumian Village, Armenian Church, Jul 24, 2012
^ARAGATSOTN – THE LAND OF CONTRASTS p.30
^Tukh_Manuk, Armeniapedia
^[Rediscovering Armenia: an archaeological/touristic gazetteer and map set for the historical monuments of Armenia, Brady Kiesling, Raffi Kojian, Tigran Mets, 2001 p.19]
TukhManuk (or Tux Manuk, (Armenian Թուխ Մանուկ), "Dark-skinned Youth") refers to archaic rural shrines in Armenia. Their origin is regarded to be pre-Christian...
The TukhManuk Shrine of Oshakan is located in the town of Oshakan in Aragatsotn Marz, Armenia. TukhManuk literally translates to "dark baby" or "dark-skinned...
century, Vahramashen Church of the 11th century, TukhManuk Chapel of Kuchak, 12th-13th centuries TukhManuk Shrine of Oshakan, 12-13th centuries, Hovhannavank...
monastery. Numerous foundations may be seen, along with the remains of a TukhManuk funerary chapel of the 5th century. Nearby is also the medieval to 19th...
Nakhava sits on a hilltop to the north. There is also the small medieval TukhManuk Church in the village to the southeast. The name Mastara is thought to...
Mashtots Hayrapet Church, a ruined 4th-century single-aisle church, a ruined TukhManuk Shrine, Saint Sargis Shrine, and a Queen Katranide Shrine. Nearby is the...
crosses over the Kasagh River. On a hilltop overlooking the town there is a TukhManuk Shrine with a large khachkar monument adjacent that sits within a large...
Հայաստան Երկիր Ուխտավայր. Beirut, Lebanon: Donigian Publishing. Abeghian, Manuk (2004). Հայոց Հին Գրականութեան Պատմութիւն [History of Ancient Armenian Literature]...
century Saint Gevork Monastery, Mughni, 14th century TukhManuk Shrine, Oshakan, 12-13th centuries TukhManuk Chapel, Mastara, 13th century Saint Gregory Chapel...
cultural monuments of the historic village of Zovuni (Poghos-Petros Church, TukhManuk shrine, and the S. Zoravar (General) Vardan Momikonyan Mausoleum) were...
Global Information
