Manuscript No. 2: Four Gospels

Item Overview

Title

Manuscript No. 2: Four Gospels

Date Created

1327

Language

Armenian

Collection

Armenian Manuscripts

Notes

Description

Text in large bolorgir in black ink, written in two columns of 19-21 lines. Initials and first lines of pericopes in large erkat'agir in red ink. Eusebian section numbers in margins against text; concordance numbers in lower margins.According to the principal colophon (fols. 218v-219), the MS was written by the priest Astuacatur, during the pontificate of Catholicos Zak'aria I (Sefedinian, 1296-1327), of the see if Aghtamar. Although the book was initally commissioned by the priests Karapet and Hayrapet, it was actually acquired by Hayrapet. Although the book's okace if execution is unknown, it can perhaps safely be assumed that it was written in teh region of Lake Van.

Colophon

Fols. 218v-219. Principal colophon in large bolorgir.Fols. 219. Later inscription in minuscule bolorgir.Fol 219v. Later inscription in bolorgir.Fol. 219. Later inscription in notargir.

Physical Description

Extent

219 folios

Dimensions

32X24 cm.

Binding note

None. Textblock sewn and mostly intact (initial quires are detached from rest of textblock). Sewn on cords using a herringbone stitch. Traditional Armenian sewing structure, altough present sewing is probably not the original, since there are two unusual notches visible. Fragment of cloth spine remains. Edges colored red.

Condition note

Poor state of preservation. The penciled pagination shows that originally the codex consisted of 259 folios, at least 40 of which had been removed before the book entered the Minasian collection. While retaining the original pagination, we have renumbered the surviving leaves to reflect the current state of the codex, and its contents are given according to this foliation. Because the covers are missing, the spine of the book and several leaves are loose. The edges of the leaves are frayed and many folios are partially torn. The codex also lacks the usual Letter of Eusebius to Carpianus, the Canon Tables, and the Prefacesand Indexes to the gospels. THere are some scribbles in Persian on fol. 219v.

Illustrations note

It appeas that vandals have removed all the folios that once contained the codex's major illuminations, which probably included the usual rubricated Letter of Eusebius to Carpianus, the Canon Tables, the portraits of the evangelists, and the illustrated incipit pages of the individual gospels. The surviving folios contain 117 marginal illuminations, marking the pericope numbers. Around each number, a compass was used to rule a circle, which served as a guide for palmettes, birds, and floral and geometric designs, painted in a very light sepia wash. These swift sketches may have been intended to receive color later.

Keywords

Genre

Manuscripts
Illuminations

Resource type

text