Beschreibung:

FOUR GOSPELS [AWETARAN] IN ARMENIAN, copied by the scribe Alek'san, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [Noranisik, province of Ernjak, near Erevan, A.D. 1669] 180 x 132mm, 301 leaves + 2 12th-century folded flyleaves, APPARENTLY COMPLETE. Collation: 1 2 , 2-26 12 (lacks 26/9, possibly cancelled; with final blank leaf). Original quire signatures throughout, with recent pencil foliation, 22 lines, double column, ruled in plummet, justification: 125 x 80mm, written in black ink in a regular bolorgir hand, concordance numbers in lower margin in small bolorgir, headings in red and gold, versal initials in gold and blue uncials, ILLUMINATED CHAPTER INITIALS IN ELABORATE ZOOMORPHIC FORMS, mostly exotic birds and fishes; MARGINAL DECORATIONS OF PAINTED STYLIZED FLORAL AND FOLIATE ORNAMENTS, some incorporating animals, in bright blue, gold, green and pink, 69 SMALL MINIATURES in outer border illustrating the life of Christ, 4 FULL-PAGE MINIATURES OF THE EVANGELISTS and 4 LARGE ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECES on facing pages. SILVER GILT REPOUSSÉ BINDING: Original red leather over wooden boards, lined with green silk doublures, encased in silver covers with a flexible link-and-rod spine, outer flap on three hinges. Sides with silver filigree borders and cherub head cornerpieces. The upper cover in relief depicts the Crucifixion, the figure on the left of Christ inscribed " Surb Astuacacin " (Holy Mother of God), and on the right " Surb Mariam " (Holy Mary). Two angels above the Crucifix, and a small bearded head below. The lower cover has a silver gilt plaque of the Virgin and Child with four heads of cherubs at corners. A filigree cross is attached to the cover. Outer flap with filigree rosettes in four compartments. This is the original binding and according to the colophon it was designed by Nahapet, brother of Isahak Vardapet and executed by Smawon Vardapet , in the region of Lake Sevan. PROVENANCE: 1.The colophon on folios 298-300 gives a full account of the circumstances of the making of the manuscript, involving an important period in the history of Armenia, and particularly of Erevan. The manuscript was copied by the priest Alek'san in the village of Noranisik in the province of Ernjak near Erevan, at the request of Yohan Vardapet , for his sister, the nun Lukiay, during the catholicate of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin of Yakob IV Julayeci (of New Julfa; 1655-1680), when Shah Sefi the Younger ruled Persia and Sultan Ahmad the Ottoman Empire, in 1118 Armenian era (i.e. A.D. 1669). The colophon records the construction of the monastery of Xot Virap in the plain of Ararat where, according to tradition, St. Gregory the Illuminator had been confined. The churches of the Holy Virgin and of the Holy Illuminator were built in 1662, with a shrine built by Khoja Smawon Agulec'i for the relics of Saints Vardan Vardapet Arewelc'i and Nerses Msec'i, the founders of the 13th-century monastery. The colophon also describes important events relating to the lives of Catholicos Philippos I Albakec'i (1633-55), Mouses III Sinnec'i (1629-32), as well as the invasion of Erevan by Sultan Murad. The donor of the manuscript is also mentioned on f. 136, "Remember the receiver of this, Yohan Vardapet in the year 1118 (i.e. A.D. 1669)"; f. 227 "Remember my spiritual parent the holy and blessed Catholicos Ter P'ilippos, who died in the year 1104 (i.e. A.D. 1655)", and "O Holy John (referring to the Evangelist) remember the sinful Yovhannes". 2.The seals of the Bishop of Ernjak, dated 1136 (i.e. A.D. 1687) and name Eremia, are stamped on folios 3, 5v, 82v, 227v, 301v. Also a seal of the priest Ter Harut'iwn dated 1265 (A.D. 1816). 3.An inscription on verso of f.1 states: I, the deacon Sargis, who has just learnt the art of writing, am from the city of Kars (Eastern Turkey), which I left in the year 1207 (15 May 1758). TEXT: Following the recent pencil foliation, which omits folio 225: Gospels: St. Matthew (ff. 3-80); St. Mark, including Chapter xvi, verses 9-20 (ff