Interdisciplinary Analysis of Fortresses in the Context Of Folklore And Architecture

Abstract

The ‘fortress’ or ‘castle’ of the Armenian Highlands (the terms are used interchangeably here) has not been comprehensively studied from the interdisciplinary perspectives of folklore and architecture. Historically, among humanity’s most significant achievements, fortresses and fortification systems encompass both tangible and intangible dimensions. While the fortresses of the Armenian Highland have been extensively studied from architectural and design perspectives, their intangible aspects remain relatively underexplored. This article proposes an interdisciplinary approach integrating material analysis with intangible cultural data. It does so by drawing together studies from the province of Tayk, where well-preserved fortifications enable spatial and typological analysis, and from the Shirak region, which is rich in folklore and ethnographic material but has only a limited number of surviving structures. By combining these complementary datasets, the research interprets Tayk’s material heritage through Shirak’s intangible traditions and reconstructs Shirak’s fragmented fortification systems by comparing them with Tayk's. This reciprocal model offers a more comprehensive understanding of Armenian fortification heritage, linking physical remains with symbolic and cultural meanings and viewing fortresses as carriers of collective memory. The approach taken is: a) To analyze Tayk’s fortification systems using typological and spatial classification; b) To collect and present folklore and ethnographic materials from Shirak related to fortifications, supplemented with written and scholarly sources; and c) To examine interactions between fortification realities and their representation in folklore, and the influence of intangible culture on perception of the material environment. The study used a combined methodology, including fieldwork, comparative analysis, and analytical synthesis. Field research in the Shirak region involved collecting folkloric data through interviews, oral histories, and ethnographic observations, which were later thematically classified with a focus on fortifications. These data were supplemented by scholarly literature, historical sources, and written traditions, including religious texts.