First conquerors of Ararat: Parrot and Abovyan

In the world history of mountaineering, Johann Friedrich Parrot and Khachatur Abovyan are regarded as the first conquerors of Mount Ararat. On 9 October 1829 (27 September, Old Style) they made the first ascent of Ararat’s highest, western summit (5156 m).

The group was led by Parrot, corresponding member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Saint Petersburg and professor at the University of Dorpat. Along with his assistants and guides, the party included the 24-year-old ethnographer Khachatur Abovyan, later a famous writer, founder of modern Armenian literature, and educator.

The picture shows their portraits in floral frames, with inscriptions below: “F. Parrot, 1791–1841” and “Kh. Abovyan, 1804 or 05 – 1848 Apr. 2”.