| Farming was excellent in the fertile river valleys, and fine wine was produced. Husbandry was also highly developed: Urartian cattle and sheep were famous for their high quality, and superb horses were raised. At its height, the Kingdom of Urartu had a technology and culture equivalent to any in western Asia. Urartian architecture is noteworthy for the quality of its masonry, and its mountain-fortresses are impressive feats of construction. The Urartians also built formidable hydraulic works: an aqueduct brought fresh water 47 miles to Tushpa. After the invasion of the Armenians in the 6th century, the material culture regressed considerably and little survived of the Urartian civilization. In the Urartian period, a native hieroglyphic script was used alongside cuneiform. In Persian Armenia, Iranian written with Aramaic characters was utilized. The chief Urartian deity was Haldi, a warrior god; the storm god was Teisheba (Hurrian Teshup) and his wife was Huba (Hebat). After the Armenians arrived in the region, they adopted the Zoroastrian religion of the Persians (See Economy, Technology, Society, and Culture). (See Economy, Technology, Society, and Culture) | 1 |
