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148 ARMENIA AND THE NEAR EAST
preferred to derive his inspiration cntirely from his own
country, with the result that his great edifice represents a
natural evolution from the typical Armenian square church
with apses. This does not, of course, mean that there may
not be features in the ornamentation which betray Byzantine
influence ; but, as we have seen, there are more numerous
features which testify to Eastern influence, while in the lay-out
of the palace buildings there are not a few features which recall
the architecture of Persia—for instance, the pillared hall,
which is typically Persian, as Strzygowski has observed. 1
We shall have occasion to point out later that, if anything,
Armenian architecture influenced Byzantium and Europe
rather than the reverse.
This round church of Zvarthnotz stood for three hundred
years, and was used for great national gatherings. We know
that about the year 66 1 a great national assembly was held
there under the presidency of Nerses 111, when the Armenian
princes agreed to submit to the domination of the Arab
Moavia (661-668).
The church must have been destroyed some time between
a.d. 930 and 1000, but we do not know in what way. Accord
ing to one Armenian historian its destruction was the work
of the Arabs, but this does not seem to be certain ; not im
possibly an earthquake may have wrecked it in the same way
as the church of St. Gregory at Dvin. The latter building
collapsed during an earthquake at the end of the ninth century.
At this place we were standing on time-honoured historie
ground. For several kilometres, right on to Echmiadzin
(Vagharshapat), there are mounds which unquestionably
conceal ancient ruins, and where remarkable finds may be made
if they are excavated. Civilization must have flourished here
for long ages ; and even in remote times this part of the
country must have been cultivated by means of artificial
irrigation. Later it would have been more or less devastated
by wars and human destructiveness, perhaps also by earth
quakes, though their havoc is not so thorough. If the excava
tions can be carried down to the deepest strata of civilization,
underneath this late period of efflorescence, they may con-
1 Op. eit., vol. i, p. 267.
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