Arevakhach (Armenian eternity sign)

A wheel of curving rays.

Also known as: Armenian eternity sign, Sun cross Armenian

In Armenian:: արևախաչ
In Armenian (Latin):: Arevakhach

CulturalNational & civicReligiousQuiet profile

Meanings

The Armenian symbol of eternity, carved on churches and monuments as a wheel of rotating arms.

Culturally establishedVerified fact
Represents eternity and continuity in Armenian religious and monumental art.
Contexts: History, Religion
Culturally establishedVerified fact
Carved on khachkars and church façades from the early medieval period onward, and adopted in the modern period as a general emblem of Armenian identity.
Contexts: History, Religion
Culturally establishedVerified fact
Visually close to several unrelated rotating-arm symbols from other traditions, and the resemblance is not evidence of a shared origin.
Visual similarity to other rotational symbols does not indicate a common source.
Contexts: History, Religion

Visual description

A circular figure of curved arms radiating from a centre and all turning the same way, carved in relief.

A fuller structured visual breakdown is not yet documented for this symbol.

Confidence

IdentityModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

Sources

Greek, Armenian and Georgian palaeography and notation
Oxford University Press and comparable scholarly editions · retrieved 2026-08-27
Scholarly treatment of the Greek, Armenian and Georgian scripts and their marks. Cited for identity and history; a contested reading is recorded as contested.

Last reviewed 2026-08-27

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Meanings

The Armenian symbol of eternity, carved on churches and monuments as a wheel of rotating arms.

Culturally establishedVerified fact

Represents eternity and continuity in Armenian religious and monumental art.

Contexts: History, Religion

Culturally establishedVerified fact

Carved on khachkars and church façades from the early medieval period onward, and adopted in the modern period as a general emblem of Armenian identity.

Contexts: History, Religion

Culturally establishedVerified fact

Visually close to several unrelated rotating-arm symbols from other traditions, and the resemblance is not evidence of a shared origin.

Visual similarity to other rotational symbols does not indicate a common source.

Contexts: History, Religion

Confidence

IdentityModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

Sources

Greek, Armenian and Georgian palaeography and notation
Oxford University Press and comparable scholarly editions · retrieved 2026-08-27
Scholarly treatment of the Greek, Armenian and Georgian scripts and their marks. Cited for identity and history; a contested reading is recorded as contested.

Last reviewed 2026-08-27