1. Overview of Armenian Food Culture Development in connection with the history of
agriculture. (as a attachment)
Prepared by
Dr.Armen Mehrabyan,
Master of Ethno-botany and PhD on Food Technology
BEGGINING PERIOD DEVELOPMENT OF FOOD CULTURE
WORLD FOOD DEVELOPMENT IN
CULTURE GEOGRAPHIC AREA
DEVELPMENT OF ARMENIA
POLEOLITIC
(Old stone age)
Oldest known tools 2 000 000 BC Wild harvest and fishing Unknown
fashioned in
Africa, First true
human Homo
erectus
Hunting 1 000 000 BC Raw meet, eggs & Unknown
mushrooms used as food
Homo erecticus 800 000 BC Rise and millet used as a Unknown
Humans learn to food,
use and control
Fire
Homo Sapience 500 000 BC Family and primitive Unknown
groups
First artistic images 30,000BC First stage of harvesting Beginning of harvesting -
of hunting and V.Bdoyan, History of
harvesting found in Agriculture of Armenia,
cave in France and page 4
Spaine
MESOLITIC
(Stone Age)
First Paleolithic 20, 000 BC Second stage of harvesting Preliminary agriculture
images of plant and development started from mountain
Invention of needle areas and it is possible that
17,000BC emmer grain used for food territory of historical
Armenia was one of the
16,000BC einkorn grain used for place for some
food domesticated plant origin
and their used as a steeples
food – L.B.Harutunyan,
Armenian Cuisine, page
24
NEOLOTIC
(New Stone Age)

2. Agriculture begins 10,000BC Cultivation of wheat, Armenia was one of the
simple bread making, Centers of Origin of
beer & soup preparation Crop Plants and
and used of almonds according to the Vavilov
that called Near-Eastern
Center (as a part of of
Asia Minor, all of
Transcaucasia, Iran, and
the highlands of
Turkmenistan). Eighty-
three species including
nine species of wheat were
located in this region. –
History of horticulture,
Jack R. Harlan. 1992
Crops & Man ASA, CSA,
Madison, WI;
Armenian highland in Asia
Minor was a motherland
of indoeuropean
civilization – A.Dikshti,
Vvedenie v Arkheologiyu,
page 28-52
First Pottery invented in First Pottery invented in
Japan Mesopotamia dated 6500
BC, and more correct in
the territory beetwin
Karkemish and Big
Chab rivers that in
Armenian highland. –
A.Teryan, Armenia as a
centre of civilization,
page 98
bow and arrow invented New hunting system and
in Europe animal pre-domestication
radically connected with
bow and arrow. - J.N.
Leonard, 1973 First
Farmers, Time Life
Animal Goth Domestication in Civilization starts from
domestication oldest known city Jecicho Jecicho and have an
in modern Iran influence to then
neighboring people
livelihood.- History of
horticulture, J.N.
Leonard, 1973 First
Farmers, Time Life

3. 9,000BC Sheep domestication in Ethnic formation of people
Near East that leaves in the territory
and tkatskij stanok byl of Armenia Highland,
sozdan means from upper Tavros
until Mesopotamia (Kur-
Araks river valley,
Capadovkia, central part
of Asia Minor, northern
Mesopotamia).
G.Karapetyan, Ocherki
Armyanskoj Istorii, Page
23,36
Pattern village 8,000BC wheat, pomegranate, Started from 8000 -7000
grows in Catal apple, lentils used for food people that leave in
Huyuk that in and pork domestication Armenian Highland
territory of current started settled lifestyle,
Turkey near Aghdznik, with
Domestication of 7,000 BC beans and walnuts used for development of
Horse by pre- food and domestication of animals
armenian – 7000- cattle domestication and agriculture.
6000 bc – G.Karapetyan, Ocherki
A.Teryan, page 78 Armyanskoj Istorii, Page
Near to Akner (Lori 36-37
region) found the Near to Kharber founded
amulet ornamented metallic nettles and cupper
Sun God dated tools that dated 8000 BC
7000 bc as another – A.Teryan, page 98
relicts found ner to
the Lori berd and
dated 2000 bc–
A.Teryan, page 79;
END OF STONE AGE
Copper Age 6,500 BC wine and spelt preparation According to the Vavilov
Oldest Stone used in food the following crops were
Massive build in domesticated in the near
Brittany and first east centre of crop origin
city state develop in 6,000 BC maize, tortillas, dates and that includes also Armenia
Sumer - 6000 bc; broccoli used as food - History of horticulture,
Cylinder seal begin 5,500 BC chickpeas, lettuce and Jack R. Harlan. 1992
used as a mark and honey used as a food Crops & Man ASA, CSA,
first writing Madison, WI
pictographic
compass in Near Grains and Legumes
East -5500 bc; 1. Einkorn wheat, Triticum
monococcum (14
Bronze Age 5000BC olives & olive oil , chromosomes)
Mesopotamian Noah’s/Deluge cucumbers & squash, chili 2. Durum wheat, Triticum
Civilization peppers, avocados & taro, durum (28 chromosomes)
potatoes, milk & yogurt, 3. Poulard wheat, Triticum
grapes, watermelons & turgidum (28
sorghum chromosomes)

4. 4800 BC First accurate calendar 4. Common wheat,
invented in Egypt and Triticum vulgare (42
pyramid build chromosomes)
4500BC Fertile Crescent (history of 5. Oriental wheat, Triticum
horticulture, lecture 23-24) orientale
Earliest written cod of low 6. Persian wheat, Triticum
in persicum (28
Herdsman rid horses in chromosomes)
Armenian highland 7. Triticum timopheevi (28
4000BC Yeast breads and pita, chromosomes)
oranges & citrons, Cart as 8. Triticum macha (42
a first transportation by chromosomes)
using the horse as a carrier 9. Triticum vavilovianum,
power invented in branched (42
Armenian highland chromosomes)
10. Two-row barley,
Sumer established 3500 BC First writhing scripts Hordeum distichum, H.
in 3500 BC and tablets by Sumerian, first nutans
exist till 2000 BC canal building and 11. Rye, Secale cereale
(HH, lecture 9) systematic agriculture 12. Mediterranean oats,
established Avena byzantina
3600 BC Popcorn 13. Common oats, Avena
3500 BC Imperial government sativa
established by pre- 14. Lentil, Lens esculenta
Armenian – Hittites 15. Lupine, Lupinus
3400 BC Hebrews introduce pilosus, L. albus
monotheism Forage Plants
Ancient Egypt 3300 BC Development successful 1. Alfalfa, Medicago
culture economy based on sativa
development till 30 agriculture, rye and oats 2. Persian clover,
BC cultivation, Trifolium resupinatum
3200 BC chicken and elephant 3. Fenugreek, Trigonella
domestication in India foenum graecum
Iron Age 3000 BC Pomegranate tree was use 4. Vetch, Vicia sativa
as a tree of longevity and 5. Hairy vetch, Vicia
paradise tree in the villosa
Sumerian tablets dated – Fruits
A.Teryan, page 17 1. Fig, Ficus carica
Arab trade spices 2. Pomegranate, Punica
Spices, butter & palm oil, granatum
barley, peas & carrots, 3. Apple, Malus pumilo
onions & garlic and (one of the centers)
2900BC figs 4. Pear, Pyrus communis
2838BC soybeans and others
5. Quince, Cydonia
2800 BC Phoenician develop
oblonga
modern alphabet and
6. Cherry, Prunus cerasus
Homer compose Iliad and
7. Hawthorn, Crataegus
Odyssey

5. 2737BC tea azarolus
Discovery of cupper,
bronze and iron and
invention of tools in the
Armenian highland
supports development of
agriculture and food
culture.
Rome founded 2700BC First time culture of Food ingredients were
cooking and eating used as a base for culinary
introduced as a cuisine culture and development
of cuisine
Golden Age of 2500 BC duck First bread balked in
Greece territory of Armenia –
B.B. Piotrovski, Istoriya I
kultura Urartu, page 28
Armenia 2492 BC formation of Armenian And since 11 August
as a nation under the 2492 BC started
leadership of ancestor Armenian calendar that
Hayk has 13 month and
divided 360 into 12
month and 4 season and
5 days were include in
the separate month. -
G.Karapetyan, Ocherki
Armyanskoj Istorii, Page
110
First celebration of
Nawasard and fist
Armenian seven-food
demonstration. The
name of all food must
started from N letter
(Ngacagkov hac, Nushi
karkandak, Nuri
mrgatan, etc) ,
enciclopedicheski
calendar 1990, page 8.
2400BC muskmelon Cultivated in Armenian
valley
2300 BC Subartu-Nairi country Kuti people that were a
part of Subartu-Nairi
render tribute from Godea
mainly grain, vegetable
oil, etc - Movsisyan, 2005,
page 95

6. 2200 BC Water wheel invented in According to the Elb
Near East – Asia Minor , archeological facts, the
Armenian highland; people that leaved in
History of Horticulture, Armenian highland such
Jack R. Harlan. as Armi, Ursaumi and
kakmiumi had a kings and
kingdom and have a well-
developed trade culture.
Movsisyan, 2005, page 64
Babylonia and 2112-2004 BC Arratta – first pre- Garden of Babylon,
Assyria, armenian country plowing by drilling the
since 2000 BC till established near lake seed instead of
500 BC Urmia , S.N.Kramer page broadcasting.
135-138; I.Kaneva, Aratta people cultivated
Enmerkar I verkhovni jrec wheat, marrowfat and
Arratti, 1964, page 198; trade fruit trees and wine.
Movsisyan, Armenia in Movsisyan, 2005, page 97
3th millenum bc, 2002,
page 19;
2000BC pasta & noodles--- Cultivation in
marshmallows & Mesopotamia
liquorices, radishes
Hittite and 1700BC Mesopotamia banquets
Minoans Greece 1650 BC Establishment of Hittite It can be suggest that
that exist till 1200 BC, introduction of the chef
Gerni, page 193 profession done by Hittites
when royal trapeze
introduced and first
cookbook written as well -
according to the
information mentioned by
Gerni, Hittite, page 138.
Rome Felt 1500BC Peanuts, chocolate & Started to used as food
vanilla, horseradish
1490BC Raisins First dehumidification of
fruit for using in meal
Urartu - 1274 – 1274 BC 1274 – 590 BC Van Invention of Vana dzet
590 BC Kingdom established and from sassafras seeds
Torya – 1230 - mentioned in Babilonian
1180 BC map, Horowitz, 1988,
Judea - 1200 till page 150-152

7. 587 BC 1200 BC sugar Oranges, lemons, peaches,
and apricots were
cultivated. Rice,
sugarcane, cotton, and
vegetables such as spinach
and artichokes, as well as
the characteristic Spanish
flavoring saffron
produced. The silkworm
raised and its food, the
mulberry tree, was grown.
Sugar made from sugar
beet and starts to replace
the honey
1000BC pickles & peaches, oats
900BC tomatoes & tomatillos
850BC celery
Archaic Greece 750-480 BC Colonization of southern innovations: the self-
France, Spain, southern governing city-state,
Italy, North Africa imaginative types of art
and architecture, and the
poetry of Homer, devised
the league (ethnos)—a
loose alliance of
geographically separate,
small groups who agreed
to share laws and
defense—as a new form of
political organization -
Microsoft® Encarta®
Encyclopedia 2002.
700BC cinnamon
600BC cabbage
500BC Italian sausages &
artichokes
Conquest of Italy 510-264 BC
by Rome
Classic Greece 500-323 BC Sparta had become the
most powerful city-state
400 BC pastries & appetizers,
vinegar, peppercorns &
garden cress,
300 BC beets & bananas
Macedonia 359-323 BC Alexander the Great and
Supremacy Aristotel
Hellenistic Greece 323-31 BC Antigonus I (382?-301
bc) founded a kingdom
encompassing parts of
Asia Minor, the Middle
East, Macedonia, and
Greece; Seleucus I (358?-
281 bc) established rule

8. over Babylonia and over
land as far east as India;
and Ptolemy I (367?-
283bc) took Egypt
Conquest of the 264-133 BC
Mediterranean by 200BC turkeys & asparagus
Rome
Caesar, Gaius 100 – 44 BC Rome Empire
Julius, 65BC quinces
Roman general and 55BC Devon cattle
political leader who 44BC End of Rome Empire on
laid the foundations March 15
of the Roman
imperial system.
Roman Greece 31 BC- 395
AD
Current Era
Height of Roman 1st Century, Ancient Rome, Birth of Fried chicken and foie
Empire, Birth of Christ gras, French toast and
Christ, Destruction omlettes, Italian wedding
of Pompei (79), soup and rice pudding,
Persecution of flan and cheesecake
Christians, Emperor 2nd Century Challah bread
Constantine, 3rd Century Roman Britain’s cuisine,
Establishment of De Re Culinaria (in Latin)
Christian & De Opsoniis et
dominance, Decline Condimentis, Apicius –
of Roman Empire first written culinary book
4th Century Jerusalem, White kidney
bean salad
Rise of Islam, Dark 5th Century Anglo-Saxon food
Ages in Europe, 6th Century Roman control spice trade Eggplant
Plague, Tang 7th Century Spinach
Dynasty in China, 8th century Ancient Maya and Viking
Sung Dynasty in era food
China, Vikings 9th century coffee & cod
10th century Medieval food , halva &
goulash, loquats, Peking
duck
Norman Conquest 11th century corned beef & cider,
(1044), Cathedrals lychees, baklava & filo
constructed, 12th century breadfruit & okra
Genghis Khan, 13th century ravioli & lasagne,
Ottoman empire in pancakes & waffles,
Turkey, Aztecs Viandier de Taillevent,
settle in Mexico, couscous

9. Printing press 14th century kebabs, guacamole &
kolache, Humble pie, Le
Menagier de Paris, apple
pie & crumpets, Pipefarces
(fried cheese sticks),
gingerbread
15th century Japanese sushi & sashimi,
Italian risotto & English
marzipan, borshch,
Netherlands Wel Ende
Edelike Spijse, hot dogs,
Christopher Columbus old
world cuisine
BEGINNING OF MODERN ERA
Printed Herbals, 16th century salsa, quiche & puff paste,
Columbus, Age of teriyaki chicken & Cornish
Exploration pastys, pecans, papayas,
turkeys in Europecashews
in the Old World
1517 sweet potatoes in Europe
1529 vanilla in Europe
1544 tomatoes in Europe
1554 Camembert cheese
1587 Brussels sprouts &
kohlrabi
1596 English trifle
1597 potato salad
1598 cock-a-leekie
1599 hasty pudding
William 17th Century Mechanical improvements corn bread, hoe cakes,
Shakespeare, in the traditional wooden spoonbread & hominy,
Francis Bacon, plow in 1600 chess pie & shortbread,
Rembrant, authentic recipes,
Cromwell transcribed, French onion
soup, salad, pralines &
coffee cake, cream puffs &
eclairs, modern ice cream
1615 coffee in Europe
1650 rum
1660 Beginning of scientific Crop rotation, involving
farming alternation of legumes
with grain started from
England
1686 croissants

10. Gardens of 18th Century America---Colonial & coffee in America, French
Versailles, Issac Early American fare; Canadian fare, Fortress of
Newton, US Among the important Louisburg, croquettes
Revolution (1776), advances were the
Carolus Linnaeus purposeful selective
breeding of livestock,
begun in the early 1700s,
and the spreading of
limestone on farm soils in
the late 1700s
1762 sandwiches
1782 souffle
1797 Charles Newbold, a
blacksmith in Burlington,
New Jersey, reconceived
of the cast-iron moldboard
plow.
Thomas Andrew 19th Century Modern Food Period Century--Napoleons &
Knight: Charles Linzertortes, ammonia
Darwin, Gregor cookies & Cape Breton
Mendel, Louis pork pies, shepherd's pie &
Pasteur, Birth of pickled peppers, canapes,
Genetics, Morrill 1809 The modern food Cannery development
Act processing and
preservation industry by
French chef and inventor
Nicolas Appert
1831 John Deere improved the Beginning of Horticultural
plow and manufactured it Science
in steel; Jethro Tull invent
seed drill seedling
machine; American Cyrus
McCormick produce
reaping-machine
1857 Revolution in food Development of
industry that demonstrated Microbiology
the role of microorganisms
in the process of food
production was born in by
French chemist Louis
Pasteur.
ASHS founded, 20th Century Thomas Hunt Morgan & cioppino, Donuts from the
Rediscovery of 1910 Drosophila, Salvation Army, chocolate
Mendel's paper, Mechanization of truffles
Space exploration Agriculture,
by Man - 1967, 1923 Hybrid corn, vitamins, Food for the Diabetic,
Man on the Moon - Rise of tractor in Mary Huddleson
1969 agriculture
1924 Caesar salad
1927 Electric Refrigerator
Recipes, General Electric

11. 1930 World Depression, Dust Pavlova cake
Bowl
1950 DNA Structure, Genetic Beginning of Genetically
Code Modified Food Products
1960 Herbicides, Vietnam Era
1970 Plasticulture, Tissue
culture, Micropropagation
1983 Gene transformation, Penne alla vodka
Molecular Biology
1992 computers, Information “Bread as a symbol of
Revolution – Internet life” monography about
Armenian bread
introduced to public
1996 ArmenianTea established
and produced herbal teas
on the base of ancient
Armenian rehabilitated
and rediscovered recipes
that starts to export to
USA and EU high-end
restaurant and organic
food stores under the
Ancient Herbals
trademark.
1998 First Armenian Dinner
with participation of Best
Chefs of US taken place in
Boston, Boston Phoenix
publication of “My
Armenian Dinner:
Genomics, Directed 21th Century Ana Sortun nominated as Organic Food Production
Mutation Best Chef in development and
Mediterranean Cuisine by beginning of Healthy
preparing Armenian Bean lifestyle promotion
and Walnut pate campaign
2007 Armenian Dinner fest
taken place in Paris for
gourmet and chefs
2006 Armenian Culinary
federation established
2009 Development of restaurant
business reached to his
pick in Armenia and more
then 1080 restaurants open
and 350 functioning only
in Yerevan city.