MATERIAL: Vellum
TYPE: Manuscript
COMPONENTS: Eight headpieces and Nine portraits.
Fine vellum; 207 folios (pagination in pencil) comprising of 16 signed gathering each made up of twelve leaves: first 11 leaves+ flyleaf unmarked; end signature of first quire is on fl.25b, ii(26),i ii(38), iv(50), v(62), vi(74), vii(84), viii(84), ix(108), x(120), xi(132), xii(144) xiii(156), xiv(167), xv(181), xvi(193-203). Size 7.5x5.3 (written surface 6.3.2cm). A folio between folios 166 and 167 has been removed.
Text in small, single fine bolorgir, in one column of 23 lines. Rubrics and titles in red bolorgir. Initial letters in erkat’agir in gold and blue ink. The large capitals are bird and animal letters, accompanying the marginal decorations.
Binding – Tooled brown morocco, over boards with stamped with rope and floral patterns. The inside covers are lined with silk with floral design.
CONDITION: The flap on binding is torn off. The four clasps are in position, but one of the ribbons is missing
NOTES: Provenance – The scribal colophon on folio 203b beginning with the customary eulogy « Փառք...» provides the title of the work, the name of the scribe, the exact date and place of the copying of the manuscript. It is a Psalter copied by the scribe Yovhannes erets in the city of Istanbul at the ‘door of the Church of Saint Sargis ‘the General’ in the Armenian era ՌՁԴ [1084 =AD 1635] when the times were «դառն եւ ի նեղ ժամանակիս յորում նեղիմք եւ հալածիմք յանօրինաց եւ ի սուտ եղբարց»:The scribe has also left a brief memorial to himself on folio 146b. Another short notice is found on folio 180 but without the scribe’s name. There are no later inscriptions indicating the later history of the manuscript.
In the Colophons of Armenian manuscripts of the XVIIth Centuries there is the record of another colophon of a Psalter copied by the same scribe Yovannes erets in the city of Istanbul at the door of the ‘Church of Saint Sargis and his Son Martiros’ in the Armenian era 1085 [A.D. 1636].This is manuscript No. 10390 now in the holdings of the “Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts” (Matenadaran) in Erevan. The similarity of the wording of the colophon suggests that this is the same Yovhannes erets , who has copied our manuscript. The unavailability of the full description of MS.10390 means it is not possible to compare the contents of the two manuscripts to be be sure it is the same scribe and artists who copied both the Psalters. However, the colophon of the present manuscript dated 1635 is missing from the above collection of colophons.
The Latin inscription on folio on folio 207a dates the manuscript in the XVth century.
Notes
Girk’ Saghmosats Dawti [Book of Psalms].1868 Jerusalem ed. Reprinted Jerusalem,1988
Compare MS. Matenadaran no.10390 [entry 948],p. 641 in Hakobyan Vazgen & A. Hovhannisyan, Hayeren jeragrei XVII dari hishatakararnner(1621-1640)[Colophons of Armenian manuscripts of the XVIIth century(1621-1640).Erevan,1978.
K’ristonya Hayastan.Hanragitaran( Christian Armenia. Encyclopedia).Erevan, 2002.
Pogharean Norayr, Bishop, Hay Groghner (Armenian writers). Jerusalem,1971.
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church.3rd edition. Ed. by E.L.Cross & E. A. Livingston. Oxford ,2003.
Rev.Dr Vrej Nerses Nersessian
39 Fitzjames avenue
London W 14 ORR
In the Colophons of Armenian manuscripts of the XVIIth Centuries there is the record of another colophon of a Psalter copied by the same scribe Yovannes erets in the city of Istanbul at the door of the ‘Church of Saint Sargis and his Son Martiros’ in the Armenian era 1085 [A.D. 1636].This is manuscript No. 10390 now in the holdings of the “Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts” (Matenadaran) in Erevan. The similarity of the wording of the colophon suggests that this is the same Yovhannes erets , who has copied our manuscript. The unavailability of the full description of MS.10390 means it is not possible to compare the contents of the two manuscripts to be be sure it is the same scribe and artists who copied both the Psalters. However, the colophon of the present manuscript dated 1635 is missing from the above collection of colophons.
The Latin inscription on folio on folio 207a dates the manuscript in the XVth century.
Notes
Girk’ Saghmosats Dawti [Book of Psalms].1868 Jerusalem ed. Reprinted Jerusalem,1988
Compare MS. Matenadaran no.10390 [entry 948],p. 641 in Hakobyan Vazgen & A. Hovhannisyan, Hayeren jeragrei XVII dari hishatakararnner(1621-1640)[Colophons of Armenian manuscripts of the XVIIth century(1621-1640).Erevan,1978.
K’ristonya Hayastan.Hanragitaran( Christian Armenia. Encyclopedia).Erevan, 2002.
Pogharean Norayr, Bishop, Hay Groghner (Armenian writers). Jerusalem,1971.
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church.3rd edition. Ed. by E.L.Cross & E. A. Livingston. Oxford ,2003.
Rev.Dr Vrej Nerses Nersessian
39 Fitzjames avenue
London W 14 ORR
ITEM ID: 5814
