Syrian-Armenian philanthropist donates 1491 manuscript to Matenadaran

Syrian-Armenian businessman and philanthropist Gabriel Chemberjian has donated to Matenadaran a Sharaknots (Hymnal) copied in 1491.

He dedicated the donation to the memory of his late wife, Anzhel Chemberjian.

Mesrop Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts (Matenadaran) said in a press release that the manuscript was discovered by its director during a visit to Vienna.

“The newly acquired manuscript is a Sharaknots with Armenian neumes (khazs), copied in the village of Am in the province of Bitlis (scribe: Priest Hovhannes). To date, the village of Am has been mentioned only once in manuscript sources, without a precise indication of its location. In 1497, Hovhannes, the same scribe, copied a Gospel there, which is also preserved at Matenadaran. Thus, this newly donated manuscript is not only the earliest known example created by the same scribe in the same village, but also the only one in whose principal colophon the scribe Hovhannes precisely identifies the location of the village of Am as being in the province of Bitlis,” the Matenadaran said.

Matenadaran expressed its gratitude to Gabriel Chemberjian for “this valuable donation and for his contribution to the enrichment of the manuscript heritage.”