What is the arevakhach?
The Armenian eternity sign is a wheel of curved arms that start from a centre and all turn the same way. In Armenian it is called haverzhutyan nshan, “sign of eternity”, and also arevakhach, meaning “sun cross”.
The shape suggests movement: something that keeps turning, without beginning or end. That is why it is linked to eternal life, the sun and the continuity of a people.
Where does it appear?
It is one of the oldest symbols in Armenian art. It already appears on stone steles of the 1st century BC, and by around the 8th century its use was an established tradition in Armenian iconography. With Christianity it became part of the khachkars, Armenia’s carved cross-stones: according to UNESCO, the central cross of a khachkar usually rests on a sun symbol or wheel of eternity.
You find it on church and monastery walls, on tombstones and in illuminated manuscripts, for example at Saint Hripsime (7th century), Geghard and Harichavank (13th century), among many others.
How many arms, and which way does it turn?
There is no single form. There are versions with five, six, eight or more arms, and although it most often turns clockwise, counter-clockwise versions exist too. In 2014, with Unicode 7.0, both directions entered the computer character standard as the right-facing (U+058D) and left-facing (U+058E) Armenian eternity sign.
The sign today
Today it appears in the logos of public and cultural institutions in Armenia and the diaspora, on commemorative coins, on monuments and in everyday life: tattoos, embroidery, ceramics and, of course, jewellery. For many Armenians outside Armenia it is a quiet way of carrying their origins with them.
From stone wall to metal
On a church the eternity sign is carved in tufa or basalt, sometimes a metre across. On a jewel it has to fit in a centimetre. The challenge is to keep the movement of the arms and the depth of the relief at that scale.
Momik draws it by hand first, then models it in 3D, where he can control the thickness of each arm and the exact curve of the turn. The master model travels to Yerevan, where the family workshop lost-wax casts it and finishes it by hand, sometimes darkening the ground so the relief reads better. You can follow each step in the process.
How to wear it
The sign works on its own, as a pendant or ring, or combined with an Armenian initial on a signet ring. Because it is not an exclusively religious symbol, it is worn by believers and non-believers, by Armenians and by people who are simply drawn to its shape.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Armenian eternity sign mean?
It is associated with eternal life, the sun and continuity. Its shape, a wheel in motion, suggests something with no beginning and no end.
What is it called in Armenian?
Haverzhutyan nshan ("sign of eternity") or arevakhach ("sun cross").
Is it a religious symbol?
It predates Christianity and later became part of the decoration of khachkars and churches. Today it is used by civic institutions, the Church and individuals alike.
Which way does it turn?
Most often clockwise, but counter-clockwise versions exist too. Unicode has included both since 2014.