Scriptorium-Repository :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Scriptorium-Repository 1877 y․

Azerbaijan / Northern Artsakh / Dashkesan / Khachakap

Historical Introduction
1877 y․

Targmanchats Monastery used to be a famous scriptorium where a manuscript repository was founded in 1877. As attested by Sargis Jalaliants, “Once it retained a great number of important manuscripts…”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 6, file 775, p. 9.
Jalaliants, S. A Travel to Great Armenia, part 1, Tpghis, 1842, pp. 168-169.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 192.

The repository was enriched thanks to the activity of the monastic school. With this regard, special mention should be made of Prior Theodoros Shirakuny, who wrote works on Armenian musical instruments, the poetry of Grigor Narekatsy (951 to 1003), etc.

A prominent Armenian poet, musician and philosopher. Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 192.

1890 y․

According to a reference-book of 1890, the monastery had a “rich repository” with a manuscript Gospel dating from the 6th century. Another document (1910) reports that it was handed over to Holy Echmiatzin through Gandzak Vicarate.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 6, file 31, p. 100; file 775, p. 9.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 192.

1233 y․

1. The repository of Targmanchats Monastery retained “...an illustrated manuscript Gospel which can be considered a precious gift for any repository thanks to both its old age and superb images. The date of its creation is unknown, but one of the lower lines of its ninth illustrated page contains the following sentence, ‘The Holy Gospel was illustrated in the year 1233. May our Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon us.’ In 1312 prince of Syunik Grigor Orbelian had it written in memory of his late wife Aspa and donated it to Khadar (Khatra) Monastery (in Martakert District of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh).”
Among the miniatures the Gospel is illustrated with “that of the Holy Virgin can be distinguished. Dating back to an ancient period, it represents the Holy Mother of God in quite a different manner which I have never seen anywhere before. St. Mary is depicted with her breast in her child’s mouth, which can hardly be discerned.” Mentioning the illustrations of this Gospel, Bishop Makar writes, “The images, pictures, flowers, ornaments, bird-patterned capital letters and all the details in general are superb and unsurpassed in their colours and magnificent gilding. The delicacy of the motifs attracts visitors like a powerful magnet, something quite rare in the ancient manuscripts.”

“Ardzagank,” 1886, No. 21, p. 309.
Yeganian, O. S. The Armenian Manuscripts of Targmanchats Monastery, in Armenian. In: “Echmiatzin,” 1971, No. 5, p. 57.
Matevossian, A. The Gospel of Targmanchats Monastery, in Armenian. In: “Echmiatzin,” 1992, Nos. 9-11, pp. 102; 1993, Nos. 1-3, p. 105.
“Ardzagank,” 1885, No. 4, p. 55.
Barkhutariants, M. Artsakh. Baku, 1895, p. 308.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 192.

1324 y․

2. A Gospel written in 1324 by scribe Vardan.

A Catalogue of Armenian Manuscripts of the Matenadaran after Mashtots, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1965, No. 2837.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1652 y․

3. Another Gospel written in 1652 by Priest Grigor Byurakantsy for Christian believer Sarkhosh Vardenistsy.

“Echmiatzin,” 1971, No. 5, p. 57.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1870 y․

4. An Echo of Narek. Written between 1870 and 1872 by Archimandrite Theodoros Shirakuny.

A Catalogue of Armenian Manuscripts of the Matenadaran after Mashtots, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1965, vol. 1, No. 2847.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1873 y․

5. Vahan Mamikonian’s Activity. Written in verse (1873) by Archimandrite Theodoros Shirakuny.

A Catalogue of Armenian Manuscripts of the Matenadaran after Mashtots, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1965, No. 3094.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1874 y․

6. Musical Instruments, vol. 1. Written in 1874 by Archimandrite Theodoros Shirakuny.

A Catalogue of Armenian Manuscripts of the Matenadaran after Mashtots, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1965, No. 3346.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1876 y․

7. Musical Instruments, vol. 2. Written in 1876 by Archimandrite Theodoros Shirakuny.

A Catalogue of Armenian Manuscripts of the Matenadaran after Mashtots, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1965, No. 3150.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1876 y․

8. Musical Instruments, vol. 3. Written in 1876 by Archimandrite Theodoros Shirakuny.

A Catalogue of Armenian Manuscripts of the Matenadaran after Mashtots, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1965, No. 3549.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1876 y․

9. A New Armenian Lyre. Written in 1876 by Archimandrite Theodoros Shirakuny.

A Catalogue of Armenian Manuscripts of the Matenadaran after Mashtots, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1965, No. 3550.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1876 y․

10. The Christian Doctrines. Written in 1876 by Archimandrite Theodoros Shirakuny.

A Catalogue of Armenian Manuscripts of the Matenadaran after Mashtots, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1965, No. 2938.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1877 — 1878 yy․

11. The Armenian Guitar. Written between 1877 and 1878 by Archimandrite Theodoros Shirakuny.

A Catalogue of Armenian Manuscripts of the Matenadaran after Mashtots, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1965, No. 2737.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1891 y․

12. A New Armenian Lyre. Written in 1891 by Archimandrite Theodoros Shirakuny.

A Catalogue of Armenian Manuscripts of the Matenadaran after Mashtots, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1965, No. 2740.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

Indeed, Theodoros Shirakuny was of immense significance in Targmanchats Monastery, which is also attested by the following record, “The Very Reverend Father Theodoros is one of those exceptional clergymen who adore the classical Armenian language. He has concentrated his love, work and attention on the magnificent works by Narekatsy, whose poems, although in prose, are distinguished for great splendour. Having rendered the prayer-book of Narek into a poem in the old Armenian language, Father Theodoros is now translating it into modern Armenian.”

“Ardzagank,” 1885, No. 4, p. 56.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1840 — 1860 yy․

Regretfully, very few of the manuscripts once kept in the repository have come down to us, a considerable number of books being lost under Prior Movses Yepiskopossiants (1840 to 1860).

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 6, file 31, pp. 56-58.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

Touching upon the indifference and careless attitude many monks showed towards the scriptorium-repository and stressing their rather limited mentality, S. Jalaliants writes, “…Due to the laziness of the members of monastic community, the manuscripts were doomed to uttermost neglect, as a result of which they were damaged. Later the monks buried the books under the ground, thus displaying great respect to them, according to their rustic mode of thinking.”

Jalaliants, S. A Travel to Great Armenia, part 1, Tpghis, 1842, pp. 168-169.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1895 y․

In 1895 the scriptorium contained more than a 1,000 books of which only 391 had survived by 1902. By 1910 the repository had ceased working altogether: “The place of the former repository being insecure, all the books belonging to Sourb Targmanchats Monastery have been gathered in a disorderly heap in a big bookcase standing in the left vestry of the cloister.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, list 6, file 775, pp. 9-11.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 193.

1911 y․

The repository remained consigned to that deplorable state for about twenty years. Eventually, on 12 January 1911, Echmiatzin Synod decided that “... the vicar of Gandzak should send its manuscripts to the Holy See, allocate the books appropriate for a village school to the Armenian school of Banants Village and hand the others to the libraries of the parish schools of Gandzak’s St. Hovhannes and Sourb Lusavorich Churches.”