Lavash is Armenian national bread – ethnographer

Lavash was made only in tonirs (tandoors). And the tonir is typical of a settled people rather than of nomadic tribes, ethnographer Armenuhi Stepanyan told Tert.am as she commented on the inscription of the Armenian lavash on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which caused Turkey’s indignation.

“The Armenians have been baking lavash since time immemorial. Armenian historians would write about lavash, and it was mentioned even in pre-Christian times. And Turks were a nomadic people, without any history or homeland. So neither Kurds nor Turks could have lavash. Even in Armenia lavash was not baked everywhere because tonirs were built in the fields,” Ms Stepanayn said.

“If the world had some more knowledge, it would know the history of lavash. Lavash is our national bread,” she added.

Sedrak Mamulyan, Chairman of the The Armenian Cookery Traditions Development and Protection NGO, said that no other nation has ever made lavash. Turks’ discontent is not surprising.

“Turks can feel bitterly hurt because they are the major sponsor. But I can also say that UNESCO registered harissa as a Turkish dish, but we intend to present the facts of it being an Armenian dish,” he said.