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Haik Nahapet

The "Haik Nahapet" 5000 dram-denominated gold coin issued by the Central Bank of Armenia continues "The History of Armenian Culture" series of coins. In accordance with the old Armenian epos Haik is the forefather of the Armenians. Haik personifies the idea of unification of the tribes settled in Armenian plateau, as well as self-affirmation of Armenian people. Armenian tribes, having considered themselves as Haik's generation, named their land Haiq (Armenia).  The Armenians compared Haik with the archer-hunter Orion. Armenian translators of the Bible have translated the name of constellation Orion as Haik. The monument to Haik Nahapet (sculptor K. Nurijanyan) placed in Yerevan is one of the most pictorial and most loved by Armenian people.

The name of the patriarch, Հայկ Hayk, is not exactly homophonous with the name for "Armenia", Հայք Hayk‘. Հայք is the nominative plural in Classical Armenian of Հայ (Hay), the Armenian term for "Armenian." The etymology of Hayk' (Հայք) from Hayk (Հայկ) is impossible. The origin of the term Hay ("Armenian") is obscure. Nevertheless, both Hayk and Hayk' are usually connected to Hay (Հայ) and Hayer (Հայեր, the nominative plural in Modern Armenian) -- the self-designation of the Armenians.
Hayk would then be an aitiological founding figure, like e.g. Dan for the Danes, Seaxnēat for the Saxons, etc.
The standard etymology for hay-, the self designation of the Armenians, is a derivation from Indo-European *poti-s, meaning "lords". These tribes may have settled Armenia from the Mitanni kingdom, when Sargon II mentions a king of part of Armenia who bore the Indo-Iranian name Bagadatti ("Theodore").
A connection made in Armenian historiography of the Soviet era, with Hayasa mentioned in Hittite inscriptions, is not tenable on phonological grounds.
The Armenian word haykakan (Armenian: հայկական, meaning "that which pertains to Armenians") finds its stem in this progenitor.

Image copyright: Central Bank of Armenia
Obverse: 
the gold coin "Hayk Nahapet" has a depiction of the Orion or Hayk constellation and the inscription "Hayk" in Armenian and "Orion" in English on the right side of its obverse. The left side shows the coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia, below which the nominal value of the coin is inscried in two lines: "5000" and "DRAMS". The depictions are enclosed in a circle. "The Central Bank of Armenia 2007" is inscribed in Armenian on the obverse between the cricle and the edge.
Reverse: 
The coin's reverse has a depiction of the monument to Hayk Nahapet. "Hayk Nahapet" in Armenian and English is incribed in a circle close to the edge. The coin has a convex edge.
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Catalog ID: 
AM112CM1
Krause ID: 
KM #139
Value: 
€130
Mintage: 
3000
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Purity: 
0.9
Weight: 
4.3g
Diameter: 
18mm
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