Aralezs: The Winged Healers of Armenian Mythology

A tale of loyalty, healing, and divine compassion in ancient Armenia

Aralezs: The Winged Healers of Armenian Mythology


In the rich world of Armenian mythology, the Aralezs hold a unique and moving role. These mythical beings—depicted as winged dog-spirits—were not gods of vengeance or war, but celestial healers. Revered for their ability to revive fallen heroes by licking their wounds, the Aralezs represent an ancient Armenian belief in divine mercy and second chances.

A Legendary Tale: Ara the Beautiful and the Aralezs

The most enduring legend involving the Aralezs comes from 5th-century historian Movses Khorenatsi. In his work History of the Armenians, he recounts the story of Ara the Beautiful, a noble Armenian king who died in battle after refusing the love of the Assyrian queen Semiramis.

Refusing to accept his death, Semiramis laid Ara's body on a sacred mountain and prayed for the Aralezs to descend from the heavens and restore him. Some versions say they succeeded, others say they did not. But in all versions, the Aralezs stand out as symbols of divine healing and hope in the face of loss.

What Were the Aralezs?

The Aralezs were not worshipped in temples, nor were they feared. Instead, they were imagined as loyal, winged canines—servants of the divine who crossed from heaven to earth to heal. They are one of the few examples in world mythology of animal spirits with the power to revive the dead.

Dogs held sacred meaning in Armenian culture—guardians of the home and the threshold between life and death. The Aralezs were the divine version of this symbol: beings of loyalty, compassion, and resurrection.

Survival Through Christianity

After Armenia officially adopted Christianity in 301 AD, many pre-Christian beliefs were either suppressed or absorbed into new religious frameworks. The Aralezs gradually faded from religious practice, but echoes of their myth continued in Armenian folklore and oral tradition.

Some scholars believe that the Christian reverence for saints, relics, and healing shrines in Armenia may reflect remnants of the roles once held by the Aralezs.

Why the Aralezs Still Matter

In a mythology filled with warriors and kings, the Aralezs are different. They represent the hope that death is not the end, that healing is sacred, and that mercy may yet descend from the heavens. Their story reminds us that compassion was just as powerful a force in ancient Armenia as strength or glory.

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