Gusans
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''Gusans'' (, from Parthian ) were singers, instrumentalists, dancers, storytellers, and professional folk actors in
Parthia Parthia ( ''Parθava''; ''Parθaw''; ''Pahlaw'') is a historical region located in northeastern Greater Iran. It was conquered and subjugated by the empire of the Medes during the 7th century BC, was incorporated into the subsequent Achaemeni ...
and ancient and medieval
Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
. In Armenia, the term ''gusan'' is often used as a synonym for ''ashugh'', a later type of singer-poet and bard.


Etymology

The word ''gusan'' appears in the earliest Armenian written works, such as the Armenian translation of the Bible (5th century AD). The earliest known use of the word in the Persian language is in the 11th-century poem '' Vis o Ramin'' by
Fakhruddin As'ad Gurgani Fakhruddin As'ad Gurgani, also spelled as Fakhraddin Asaad Gorgani (), was an 11th-century Persian poetry, poet. He versified the tale of Vis and Rāmin, a story from the Parthia, Arsacid (Parthian) period. The Iranian scholar Abdolhossein Zarrinko ...
. There, it is spelled and was originally thought to have been a personal name. However, in the 19th century Kerovbe Patkanian identified it as a common word possibly meaning 'musician' and suggested that it was an obsolete Persian term deriving from the same source as Armenian ''gusan'', a loanword. In 1934, Harold W. Bailey identified the word as Parthian in origin. In
Hrachia Acharian Hrachia Acharian (, reformed spelling: Հրաչյա Աճառյան; ; 8 March 1876 – 16 April 1953) was an Armenian linguist, lexicographer, etymologist, and philologist. An Istanbul Armenian, Acharian studied at local Armenian schools an ...
's opinion, the word was borrowed into Parthian from Armenian '' govasan'' 'praiser', then borrowed back into Armenian as ''gusan''. The word is attested in Manichaean Parthian as ''gwsʾn''. Garnik Asatrian suggests that Parthian derives from earlier *''gōβ(a)sān'' (possibly the source of Armenian ''govasan''), contracted from *''gōβ(a)sāhan'' 'praise-sayer, panegyrist', from
Old Iranian The Iranian languages, also called the Iranic languages, are a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages in the Indo-European language family that are spoken natively by the Iranian peoples, predominantly in the Iranian Plateau. The Iranian language ...
''*gauba-sāhana-''.


History


In Parthia and Sasanian Iran

Music and poetry constituted an essential part of Parthian culture, serving as an important indicator of belonging in the secular society of ancient Parthia. It is not known from ancient sources how the Parthian gosans were trained, but the predominance of hereditary transmission of professions in Ancient
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
makes it possible for transmission from family education and the transfer of knowledge from fathers to children. Historians believe that each feudal clan had its own clan minstrel gosans who knew the history and traditions of the clan and glorified them in their works. The Gosans enjoyed great privileges and authority in ancient Iranian society. According to medieval Iranian sources, not a single significant event could do without them. ''Gusan'' art reached a focal point of development during the
Sasanian Empire The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...
. One of the most famous ''gusans'' (minstrel poets) of the Sasanian era was
Barbad Barbad (; ) was a Persian musician-poet, music theorist and composer of Sasanian music. He served as chief minstrel-poet under the Shahanshah Khosrow II (). A '' barbat'' player, he was the most distinguished Persian musician of his time and ...
. Parthian influence has left clear traces in some aspects of
Armenian culture The culture of Armenia encompasses many elements that are based on the geography, literature, architecture, dance, and music of the Armenian people. Armenia is a majority Christian country in the Caucasus. Creative arts Literature Ar ...
. Thus, the ''gusans'' mentioned by Armenian authors are a replica of the Parthian ''gusans''.
Mary Boyce Nora Elisabeth Mary Boyce (2 August 1920 – 4 April 2006) was a British scholar of Iranian languages and an authority on Zoroastrianism. She was Professor of Iranian Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of the Un ...
believes that the Parthian cultural influence was so strong in the region, and in particular in Armenia, that it is likely that the Parthian ''gusans'' influenced not only the name but also, the Armenian art form.


In Armenia

The origin of Armenian religious and secular songs and their instrumental counterparts takes place in time immemorial. Songs arise from various expressions of Armenian folk art such as rituals, religious practices and mythological performances in the form of music, poetry, dance and theatre. Performers of these forms of expression, gradually honing their skills and developing theoretical aspects, have created a performing tradition. In ancient
Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
, musicians that were referred to as "vipasans”(storytellers) appeared in historical sources as early as the first millennium BC. Vipasans raised the art of secular song and music to a new level. Over time, the vipasans were replaced by "govasans" which later became known as "gusans.” The art of the latter is one of the most important manifestations of medieval Armenian culture, which left indelible traces in the consciousness and spiritual life of people. ''Gusans'', cultivating this particular art form, created monumental works in both lyric and epic genres, thus enriching both national and international cultural heritage (such examples are the heroic epic “ David of Sasun” and a series of lyric poems -hairens) In the early
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
the word ''gusan'' was used as an equivalent to the classical Greek word ''mimos'' (mime). There were 2 groups of gousans: 1. the first were from aristocratic dynasties (feudal lords) and performed as professional musicians. 2. the second group comprised popular, but illiterate gusans. Gusans wore long hair, combed up in a cone so that the hairstyle resembled the "tail" of a comet. This hairstyle was supported by a "gisakal" placed under it, which was the prototype of "onkos" - a triangle placed under the wig of ancient tragedians. The gusans were sometimes criticized and sometimes praised, particularly in medieval
Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
. The adoption of
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
had its influence upon Armenian minstrelsy, gradually altering its ethical and ideological orientation. This led to the eventual replacement of gusans with ashughs. The center of gusans was Goghtn gavar - a region in the Vaspurakan province of Greater Armenia and bordered with province of Syunik.


See also


References


General references

* {{cite book , last=Syuni , first=Grigor , translator-last=Toumajan , author-link=Grikor Suni , translator-first=Anahit , translator-last2=Toumajan , translator-first2=Dickran , year=2005 , title=Hay erazhshtutʻiwn , trans-title=Armenian Music, script-title=hy:Հայ երաժշտութիւն , location=Yerevan , publisher=Grakanutʻean ew aruesti tʻangarani hratarakchʻutʻiwn , language=hy,en, isbn=9789993060598 Culture of Armenia Music of Armenia Music of Iran Culture of Iran Iranian words and phrases Parthian Empire