Sasna Tsrer (“Daredevils of Sassoun”) is the national epic of the Armenian people. Transmitted through centuries of oral tradition, it was committed to writing only in the nineteenth century. The nucleus of the epic, however, took shape in the early medieval period (8th–10th centuries), during the Armenians’ struggle against Arab domination. It is a heroic and liberatory song-narrative in which the principal figures—Sanasar and Baghdasar, Great Mher, David of Sassoun, and Little Mher—embody the strength, valor, and indomitable will of the Armenian nation in defense of its homeland.

The epic is divided into four cycles: the tales of Sanasar and Baghdasar, of Great Mher, of David, and of Little Mher. These cycles are linked by genealogy and by the overarching theme of unceasing struggle. Numerous variants of the tradition have been preserved in different layers of folklore and were first systematically recorded in 1873 by Garegin Srvandztiants. To date, more than 160 versions are known, all rich in linguistic, mythological, and historical elements.

What distinguishes Sasna Tsrer is not only its heroic plots and depictions of military feats, but also its rich cultural dimensions. Within this context, wine occupies a prominent place, appearing in some of the most significant episodes and serving diverse functions. Wine is represented both as a sacred medium of oath-taking, through which heroes affirm the inviolability of their word and deed, and as a vital element of festivity, uniting the community and becoming an instrument of social and ritual communion. At the same time, wine can also function as a treacherous device, employed to deceive, weaken, or ensnare heroes.

For instance, when Melik advances against Sassoun with his army, Zenov Hovan and Tsran Vergen, fearful and unwilling to fight, decide to keep David from joining the battle:

“Hovan, we cannot fight.

Let us invite David, let us feast.

Let us trick him, make him drunk,

Then seize our women and daughters,

Give Melik gold and silver,

Pass beneath his sword—

Perhaps Melik will have mercy on us.” (p. 221)

“David,

If you drink this copper vessel of wine, you are truly Mher’s son;

If not, you are illegitimate.”

“Uncle,” said David, “fill it, let us see.”

His uncle filled the vessel to the brim.

David took it, raised it to his lips,

Drank and drank until he emptied it.

The vessel fell to the ground, split open.

David became so intoxicated—he lay down and slept. (p. 221)

Such episodes attest that in Sasna Tsrer wine is never reduced to the status of an ordinary beverage. Rather, it becomes a multilayered symbol reflecting the Armenians’ traditional conceptions of life, death, faith, and trial. Wine bears simultaneously religious, moral, and social meanings: it can be sacred and life-giving, or perilous and destructive, depending on the circumstances of its use.

Closely related to the symbolism of wine is that of the pomegranate. In Armenian culture, the pomegranate is a preeminent emblem of fertility, abundance, and continuity of life. With its multitude of seeds, it signifies both familial fecundity and the vitality of the nation. For this reason, in Sasna Tsrer wine is most often described specifically as pomegranate wine—not merely a drink, but a symbol of strength, vital energy, and divine blessing. For the heroes it becomes a source of power; for the people, it is the embodiment of the protective spirit of the homeland.

 

The pomegranate also enjoys broad representation in Armenian art and architecture. It appears in church sculpture, on khachkars (cross-stones), and in the illuminations of medieval manuscripts as a sign of celestial blessing and eternity. In Armenian custom, the fruit plays a role in wedding rituals, linked to the ideas of new life, healthy progeny, and family stability. Thus, both the pomegranate and pomegranate wine transcend material value, functioning as spiritual symbols that unite faith, culture, and national identity.

Wine in the Life of Sanasar and Baghdasar

In the opening episodes of the epic, wine appears around the figures of Sanasar and Baghdasar not merely as a beverage but as a fundamental element in the formula of sacred oath. Before building his new home, Sanasar declares:

“Bread and wine, the Lord’s creature.

Wherever the source of water shall be,

Let us go and build our house there,

There, upon the water, let us establish our dwelling” (p. 25).

Through this formula, he affirms the divinely sanctioned character of his undertaking. The same invocation is uttered in a moment of mortal danger, when his life hangs by a thread:

“The Caliph drew his dagger,

Pulled it to cut his throat, to sacrifice him.

Sanasar saw that indeed his neck was about to be cut.

He said: ‘Oh bread and wine, the Lord’s creature’” (p. 46).

This recurring expression demonstrates that wine, for Sanasar, is not merely sustenance; rather, at the boundary between life and death it functions as a sign of divine protection and moral steadfastness. At the same time, within the epic wine acquires a communal and festive role. Following their victory, Sanasar and Baghdasar organize a banquet:

“They placed the pomegranate wine upon the table.

They drank the red wine before their eyes,

Rejoiced, and held a feast” (p. 47).

Here, wine serves not only as a means of joy and celebration but also as part of the collective memory of the community: it symbolizes the consolidation of victory and the spirit of brotherhood and unity. Yet the same wine can also become, as noted above, an instrument of deceit and treachery. Seeking to neutralize Baghdasar, the Caliph commands:

“Come, load seven camel-burdens of sour wine,

Carry them to the Mountain of the Fool.

Tomorrow I shall deceive Baghdasar, bring him there,

Give him wine to drink,

Make him drunk, and kill him” (p. 49).

Thus, from the earliest strata of the epic, wine assumes a dual and contradictory character: on the one hand, it is a sign of sacred oath and divine blessing; on the other, it can be transformed into an instrument of deception and death. This duality reveals the complexity of wine’s symbolic role in Sasna Tsrer, where every object possesses both life-giving and destructive potential—depending on circumstances and on the path chosen by the heroes.

Wine in the Story of Great Mher

In the life of Great Mher, wine also plays a significant role. During his battle with the lion, he turns to God, repeating the well-known invocation:

“Bread and wine, the Lord’s creature” (p. 106).

In the description of Mher’s wedding, wine is placed on the table, which underscores its ceremonial significance (p. 114). Yet in Mher’s story, wine also acquires a dangerous meaning: when Ismil Khatun learns of Mher’s return to Sassoun, she makes him drink wine aged seven years. As a result, he falls into the trap set by Ismil and remains captive there for seven years:

“May your house be ruined—

Look, is there not seven years’ wine?

He will soon return, hurry, quickly!

The servants arose, brought the seven years’ wine,

Gave it to Mher as he sat upon his horse. Mher drank.

When Mher drank, he clasped his forehead” (p. 122).

Later, when Mher dies, the people of Sassoun mourn for seven years, after which they begin once again to drink wine and celebrate. Only Uncle Toros refuses:

“Shall I sit here and make merry,

While David, son of Msra Melik, is held captive?

Is it not a shame for us…

Bread and wine, the Lord’s creature.

Until I bring back that orphan,

I shall not raise this cup to my lips” (pp. 152–153).

In this episode, wine primarily symbolizes the overcoming of grief: after seven years of mourning, the Sassountsis once again gather around the table, bring forth wine, drink, and begin to rejoice. This ritual marks the continuation of life, while simultaneously commemorating and honoring past losses. Wine serves both as a means of remembrance and glorification of Mher’s deeds, and as a way for the community to restore moral and social order. At the same time, it becomes a test of loyalty and prudence, for the heroes must either partake or abstain from drinking—thus demonstrating fidelity to their will and dignity.

This duality—the coexistence of joy and trial—renders wine one of the central symbols of the epic, underscoring the notion that life and the memory of the past are inextricably bound together.

Wine in the Character of Sasuntsi Davit

In Davit’s story, wine and bread repeatedly appear as constant elements of oath-taking, through which he affirms the unbreakable nature of his word and his connection to divine providence:

“If you now reveal the location of Tsovasari, speak!

If not, ha! Bread and wine, you beast,

I will strike your face, twist your neck” (p. 188).

Davit’s heroic strength and way of life are in many episodes directly associated with wine; he is depicted at feasts and victory celebrations, consuming pomegranate wine aged seven years (p. 200).

On the other hand, wine can again become an instrument of treachery and danger. His enemies make Davit drink seven measures of bronze wine, and intoxicated, he falls asleep, becoming the victim of deception:

“His uncle filled the bronze to the brim.

Davit took it, brought it to his mouth,

Drank, drank! The floor opened up.

The bronze fell to the ground, pierced.

Davit became so drunk—he lay down, slept” (p. 221).

This episode emphasizes that wine not only unites and has a life-giving effect, but can also create vulnerability, provide an occasion for temptation, and give rise to threats.

Thus, in Davit’s story, wine acquires a dual and ambivalent meaning, simultaneously symbolizing life, strength, and celebration, but also deceit and danger, which underscores the depth and complexity of the symbolic system of Sasna Tsrer.

Wine in the Final Trials of Little Mher

The final hero of the epic, Little Mher, also attaches great significance to wine. After the incident with his father and the curse, he gathers his companions and drinks pomegranate wine aged seven years (p. 290), which becomes not only a means of joy and unity but also a symbolic marking and perception of his destiny. Here, wine emphasizes the hero’s individual strength and determination, demonstrating that his actions are closely connected both to fate and to a sacred status.

At the moment of ultimate danger, Little Mher again employs the well-known formula associated with wine:

“Remember my bread and wine, you beast,

Maruta, Most High God” (p. 318).

This attests that wine continues to carry the meaning of divine protection and spiritual significance in his life. In this episode, wine becomes both a marker of a significant event and a medium for strengthening the symbolic spirit, highlighting that in Sasna Tsrer wine is not merely an everyday object but also sacred and fate-bound.

Thus, in the epic, wine functions as a multilayered symbol, underscoring both individual and communal social and spiritual perceptions. On one hand, wine is presented as a sign of faith, oath-taking, and divine protection, indicating that objects in the epic are not limited to their material, physical sense but acquire spiritual, moral, and symbolic value. Heroes, by using wine in their promises or in fate-bound situations (“Bread and wine, you beast”, pp. 25, 46, 318), affirm their sovereignty, fidelity, and connection with divine providence.

On the other hand, wine is also depicted in the epic as a social and cultural necessity; it is inseparable from feasts, weddings, and victory celebrations, where heroes demonstrate unity and reinforce the community’s identity and traditions (pp. 47, 114, 153).

Yet this symbol is multifaceted; it can also become an instrument of treachery, trial, and destruction (pp. 49, 221). Wine administered by enemies creates conditions of vulnerability and danger, showing that material objects in the epic can bear ambivalent meanings, simultaneously unifying and disruptive.

This duality demonstrates the twofold nature of wine—both life-giving and hazardous: it can act as a source of vitality and a symbol of loyalty and sacred oaths, but in cases of excess or malice, it may become a threat not only to the hero but also to the community.

This remarkable duality raises a series of theoretical and cultural questions: for example, how does the folk epic express spiritual values through material objects, and how does the dual meaning of an object shape the behavior of heroes and social relationships? Such considerations allow for an examination of how material and symbolic elements interact within the structure of the Armenian epic, making it not only a historical document but also a record of lived experience and cultural practice.