Epigraphy Department

The task of the Department is:

1. To deal with issues of medieval archaeology, which from the perspective of world archaeology relate to the periods of formation and development of Christian and Islamic cultures.
2. From the temporal perspective - to deal with the periods of Arshakids (also known as the Marzpan period), Arab Caliphate, Bagratuni, Zakarian, Cilician dynasties, and Turkish-Persian rule (Early, Developed, Late Middle Ages); from the chronological perspective - with the period from about the 5th to the 18th centuries AD.
3. To develop Epigraphy in Armenia, contributing to the influx of relevant personnel and natural generational succession.
4. The Department carries out its work in the following forms of activity: visiting and collecting inscriptions, archive, library, office.
5. The results of the Department's work are measured by high-quality scientific publications (monographs, collections, articles), which must be relevant and innovative, using modern methods, participation and organized events (conferences, seminars, etc.), field and laboratory research, international relations, productive (attraction of foreign resources, participation of international scientific organizations), influx of personnel, defense of theses, provision of professional opinions.

The past and present of the Department

Introduction

The 60-year history of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography is symbolically linked to the fundamental stage in the development of Armenian epigraphy, the most important indicator of which can be considered the first collection of “Armenian epigraphic inscriptions”, presented to readers in 1960 (a year after the founding of the Institute) - a series of volumes "Corpus inscriptionum Armenicarum", compiled using the methods and principles of modern science.

The cornerstone of the study of the history of every civilized nation is the availability of reliable written sources and their impartial use. Accordingly, the process of collecting, deciphering and publishing these documents at the proper scientific level is of great importance, the final product of which was the compilation of the above-mentioned volumes of the collection of inscriptions. In the reality of Armenology, the need to create these collections was realized and became a subject of discussion at the end of the 19th century. In these and subsequent decades, a number of prominent figures in Armenology - Mkrtich Emin, Karapet Basmadjyan, Hrachya Acharyan, Karapet Kostanyan, Yervand Lalayan and others - took steps to implement this idea.

The decision of the Soviet government on August 20, 1938 to allocate funds for the publication of a collection of inscriptions became memorable for the development of the country. However, the difficult years of the First World War and the difficult post-war socio-economic situation did not allow the country to allocate funds for this purpose, and only in 1954 the Academy of Sciences of Armenia was able to deal with the problems of developing and publishing epigraphic works. A contemporary and direct participant of that event, Sedrak Barkhudaryan, said that this matter was entrusted to academician Hovsep Orbelyan.

At the request of the latter, direct management of the work in Armenia was entrusted to Sedrak Barkhudaryan.

Creation of the Department of epigraphy of Armenia        

Despite the almost century-long history of epigraphy, the scientific, organizational and methodological process of this branch of historiography began only in the early 1960s, when in June 1959, the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography was established as part of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia, initially including a Department of epigraphy. By the order of July 20 of the same year, the duties of the head were assigned to Sedrak Barkhudaryan. About a month later, by the order of August 7, 1959, the composition of the epigraphic expedition was approved: expedition leader: S. Barkhudaryan, junior research fellows: Gevorg Tiratsyan, Grigor Karakhanyan, Zohrab Kasabyan, Gedeon Mikaelyan, architect: Yuli Tamanyan and photographer: Artashes Vruyr.

The order also mentions the expedition's work plan for 1959: collecting epigraphic materials and bas-reliefs of tombstones in the Basargechar district (now the Vardenis district of the Gegharkunik marz) and conducting research excavations in the area of ​​the old site near the village of Akunk in the same district. In the same year, epigraphic inscriptions were also collected in the region of Razdan and Nagorno-Karabakh.

A serious problem was the staffing of the epigraphy sector. The first postgraduate student in epigraphy was Alexander Manucharyan. In 1961, the famous philologist and epigrapher Suren Avagyan moved to the Department, and in 1962, Grigor Grigoryan. Avraham Shaginyan (born in 1963) was the last to fill the staff of the sector, on whose shoulders fell the photographic work of the inscriptions and expeditions of Garni (Book of Orders, April 2, 1963). In 1961-1963, Professor, Honored Urartologist Margarit Israelyan worked in the sector.

The eminent Sedrak Barkhudaryan, a worthy successor of the famous Armenologists-epigraphers Nikolay Marr and the honored scientist of the mentioned branch of Armenology Hovsep Orbelyan, before his death (in 1970), together with the Department staff Alexander Manucharyan, Suren Avagyan, Grigor Grigoryan and Abraham Shahinyan, conducted a huge amount of scientific research and publications. In July-August 1960, the group visited 15 settlements of the current Vardenis region, and a week later Sedrak Barkhudaryan, Grigor Karakhanyan and Artashes Vruyr left for Nagorno-Karabakh.

The eminent Sedrak Barkhudaryan, a worthy successor of the famous Armenologists-epigraphers Nikolay Marr and the honored scientist of the said branch of Armenology Hovsep Orbelyan, before his death (in 1970), together with the employees of the Department Alexander Manucharyan, Suren Avagyan, Grigor Grigoryan and Abraham Shahinyan, conducted a huge amount of scientific research and publications. In July-August 1960, the group was in 15 settlements of the current Vardenis region, and a week later Sedrak Barkhudaryan, Grigor Karakhanyan and Artashes Vruyr left for Nagorno-Karabakh. Judging by the subsequent process, the Karabakh expedition had a special significance for Sedrak Barkhudaryan, as evidenced by the trips that took place in the following years not only in the region itself, but also in the neighboring regions of Karvachar and Kashatakh (Lachin), even in the vicinity of Baku, in the city of Quba. In this regard, a document preserved in the Book of Orders is noteworthy, according to which in April 1970, junior research fellow of the Department A. Shaginyan was sent to Baku to conduct negotiations with the Institute of History of Azerbaijan for the purpose of jointly collecting inscriptions in the left-bank regions of the Kura (Book of Orders No. 7, April 1970). Based on the agreements, a joint expedition was conducted for one month (August 3 - September 3) in the regions of Salyan, Nukhi, Shamakhi, Vardashen, Khachmaz of the neighboring republic for the purpose of collecting inscriptions in Armenian and Eastern languages ​​(Book of Orders, June 30, 1970).

Volumes of “Corpus inscriptionum Armenicarum”

Undoubtedly, the greatest contribution of the Epigraphy Department to Armenology is the publication of the books of the Corpus inscriptionum Armenicarum series.

The first book is dedicated to the epigraphic heritage of Ani (266 inscriptions compiled by Hovsep Orbeli).

The second study concerns the epigraphic inscriptions of Sisian, Goris, and Kapan regions of Syunik (427 inscriptions compiled by Sedrak Barkhudaryan).

The third volume includes the epigraphic inscriptions of Yeghegnadzor and Azizbekov (modern Vayk) regions of Vayots Dzor Province (813 inscriptions compiled by Sedrak Barkhudaryan).

In 1970-1986, the work of the Department was coordinated by the director of the institute, the great archaeologist-historian, academician Babken Arakelyan, under whom 3 more volumes of the corpus were placed on the table of Armenologists.

The fourth book includes epigraphic inscriptions of Kamo (now Gavar), regions of Martuni and Vardenis of Gegharkunik province of the Republic of Armenia and a number of villages of the region of Tchambarak (1527 inscriptions, compiled by Sedrak Barkhudaryan).

The fifth book is dedicated to lapidary inscriptions of monuments of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region and adjacent Berdzor, Karvachar, right bank districts of the Kura River in the Soviet years (1071 inscriptions, compiled by Sedrak Barkhudaryan).

The sixth book presents inscriptions of the Ijevan district of today's Tavush marz of the Republic of Armenia (365 inscriptions, compiled by Suren Avagyan, Hripsime Janpoladyan).

According to the Department's long-term plan, in June 1979, Alexander Manucharyan was sent to Poland on a mission to collect inscriptions. Thanks to his two-year business trips, he managed to copy more than 200 inscriptions in Armenian, Polish and Kipchag languages.

From 1986 to 2011, the Department's research activities were carried out by Grigor Grigoryan, whose epigraphic interests mainly included the epigraphic heritage of Armenian settlements. As a result of research in this area, the corpus series was replenished with two more volumes.

The seventh volume includes inscriptions on Armenian monuments in more than 40 cities and other types of settlements in Ukraine and on objects in a number of museums, as well as inscriptions of Armenian builders in 5 cities of Moldova (776 inscriptions compiled by Grigor Grigoryan).

The eighth volume summarizes the epigraphic inscriptions of Armenians from the cities of Moscow, St. Petersburg, regions of Krasnodar, Stavropol Krai, Rostov and Astrakhan of the Russian Federation, Tatarstan, North Ossetia, the Chechen and Dagestan Republics, as well as inscriptions on museum items (815 inscriptions, compiled by Grigor Grigoryan). The archive of the blessed memory of Sedrak Barkhudaryan contains 2 more copies of the "Corpus" in handwritten form, which were edited, supplemented and published by the Department's staff, as a result of which the source scientific base of the history of the Armenian people was replenished with 2 more volumes of the series.

The ninth volume presents the epigraphic heritage of the monuments of the Lori Province of the Republic of Armenia and the region of Noyemberyan of neighboring Tavush Province (1190 inscriptions, editor-in-chief: Gagik Sargsyan).

The tenth volume includes inscriptions from the 10th-20th centuries written on the steles of the eastern part of the historical Shirak Province of the Republic of Armenia (190  inscriptions, editors: Gagik Sargsyan, Arsen Harutyunyan and Klara Asatryan).

Currently, the Department of Epigraphy is preparing for publication the next editions of the “Corpus inscriptionum Armenicarum” series, which includes monuments and inscriptions found in Kotayk, Aragatsotn, Armavir and Ararat Province.

The volume containing the epigraphic heritage of Aragatsotn Province is compiled by Ashot Manucharyan, Kotayk Province - by Gagik Sargsyan, the Armavir region - by Arsen Harutyunyan, Ararat Province - by Hayk Hakobyan.

The collection of inscriptions that for some reason were not included in the volumes published in previous years, as well as the preparation of new additional volumes, are being carried out by the employees of the Department S. Adamyan and S. Khurshudyan.

Along with “Corpus inscriptionum Armenicarum”, the Department published works devoted to the coverage of a number of fundamental problems of medieval studies.

Activities of the Department in the 1960s and 1970s

At the beginning of the Department's activity, Sedrak Barkhudaryan published research comments on key facts of the history of "Armenians of the Eastern Countries" («Հայոց Արևելից կողմանց»): "Epitaph with the name of Prince Hamam" («Տապանագիր Համամ իշխանի անու­նով») (1964), "The Armenian-Aghvanian kingdom of Derbent" («Դերբենդի հայ-աղվանական թագավորությունը») (1969), "Principalities of Artsakh, Shaki and Parisos of the 9th-10th centuries" («Արցախի, Շաքիի և Փառիսոսի իշխանությունները IX-X դդ.» ) (1971). Of particular scientific value and interest are voluminous studies devoted to medieval monasteries, their location, consideration of a number of socio-economic conditions and phenomena and other issues, such as "Meliks and landlords of Gegharkunik according to a document of Tatev Monastery" («Գեղար­քունի­քի մելիքներն ու տանուտերերը ըստ Տաթևի վանքի մի փաստաթղթի») (1967), "Inscriptions of socio-economic content and remarks" («Սոցիալ–տնտե­սական բովանդա­կության արձանագրություններ և դիտողություններ») (1971). One of S. Barkhudaryan’s exceptional studies is the work “Medieval Armenian architects and masons-masters” («Միջ­նա­դարյան հայ ճար­­տարապետներ ու քարգործ վարպետներ») (1963), dedicated to the life and work of medieval craftsmen and builders, the “heroes” of which are 68 architects, 139 khachkar and tombstone masters, as well as 62 scribes.

Alexander Manucharyan published the work "The analysis of construction evidence of the 4th-11th centuries" («Քննություն Հայաստանի IV-XI դարերի շինարարական վկայագրերի») (1977). This was the first work of its kind, when a group of similar inscriptions became a separate study. The chronology of construction and reconstruction of historical and architectural monuments, builders and master architects, refers to the architectural features of spiritual and public buildings of the Middle Ages. Thanks to the information of construction inscriptions, the author, also widely using chronicle sources, clarifies and corrects the chronology of construction and renovation of many historical and architectural monuments, builders and master architects, addresses the architectural aspects of spiritual and public buildings of the Middle Ages.

Linguist and specialist in grabar (Old Armenian language) Suren Avagyan has published such fundamental works as the monographs “Phonology of Lapidary Inscriptions” («Վիմա­կան արձանագրություն­ների հնչյունաբանություն») (1973) and “Lexicology of Lapidary Inscriptions” («Վիմական արձանագրություն­ների բառաքննու­թյուն») (1978). To date, the first and only study whose subject is the language of inscriptions, the linguistic thinking of the engraver or authors of the text, stylistic and dialectal features and patterns. The first book is the only study to date whose subject is the language of inscriptions, the linguistic thinking of the scribe or authors of the text, stylistic and dialectal features and patterns. The second book seems to be a reliable reflection of the adjusted, corrected, etymologized and interpreted realities of the medieval multifaceted reality. The subject and basis of consideration is the word, be it the name of a person, the name of a phenomenon, place, type of tax, event, whether they are the only ones mentioned, written in a classical manner or distorted, with insufficient literacy or dialect. For a number of reasons, both the previous book and especially this one by Suren Avagyan have become the most valued and referenced studies by specialists.

In 1960, a series of articles “The art of Armenian khachkar” («Հայկա­կան խաչքարի արվեստը») by Abraham Shahinyan, was published in five issues of the “Echmiadzin” journal, which can be considered an outstanding example of expert research into the amazing Armenian medieval steles. In a number of his subsequent articles, the subject of discussion was also khachkars and the vishaps (dragon-stones), as well as the quadrangular monuments considered their prototypes. During this period, Grigor Grigoryan published an extensive work, “Monastic land ownership of Syunik in the 9th-13th centuries” («Սյունիքի վանական կալվածա­տիրությունը 9-13-րդ դարերում») (1973), dedicated to the history of the province of Syunik, which became the topic of his PhD dissertation, defended in 1967.

Department activities in 1980-1990s

A collection of very valuable articles by Suren Avagyan, “Epigraphic surveys” («Վիմագրական պրպտումներ») (1986), refer to this period of the Department’s activity. The short description of the author given by the eminent linguist and philologist Rafael Ishkhanyan in the preface to the book is worthy of attention: “In the field of Armenian epigraphy, S. Avagyan was an exceptional figure... He continued and significantly contributed to the work to which N. Marr, H. Orbelyan, K. Ghafadaryan, and S. Barkhudaryan were devoted.”

In 1981, Grigor Grigoryan’s work “Syunik under the Orbelians”, and in 1984, the book “Medieval monumental steles of Armenia: khachkars of the 9th-13th centuries” («Հայաստանի միջ­նադարյան կոթողային հուշարձանները․ IX-XIII դդ. խաչքարերը») by Abraham Shahinyan were published. The latter is especially valuable due to the presence of lapidary inscriptions on the steles, mostly deciphered by the author.

Department activities in 1990-2000

During this period, through the efforts of Department researcher Grigor Grigoryan, the “History of Syunik. Textbook for Universities” («Սյու­նիքի պատմություն. բուհական դասագիրք») (2001), the books “Essays on the history of Syunik (9th-15th centuries)” («Очерки истории Сюника (9-15 вв.)») (2004) and a number of articles were published. The author also wrote the only university textbook to date, “Armenian epigraphy”. In 2007, his research “Vahanavank” («Վահա­նա­վանք») was published, and 2 years later – the essay “The revival of Vahanavank: from the diary of an archaeologist” («Վահանավանքի վերածնունդը. հնագետի օրագրից») (2009). The first research presents the history of the monument, the results of archaeological excavations, and the known and newly discovered lapidary inscriptions. The book, unique in its kind, presents “the most memorable events and truths that occurred during the excavations of Vahanavank”, seasoned with the author’s memoirs. "The socio-political, socio-economic history of Syunik in the 13th-15th centuries" («Սյու­նիքի հասարակա­կան-քաղա­քա­կան, սոցիալ-տնտեսական պատմությունը XIII-XV դդ.»), dedicated to the research of one period of the history of Syunik is his doctoral dissertation, defended in 1985. In 2011, Sedrak Barkhudaryan's work "Pages from the history of Artsakh and Armenian-Albanian relations" («Страницы из истории Арцаха и армяно-албанских отношений») was published.

In 1992-2000, Argam Ayvazyan, the author of many epigraphic books and articles, worked at the Department of Epigraphy. The main area of ​​his fruitful research is the historical and cultural heritage of the Nakhichevan province, to which more than 280 of his works (48 books) are devoted. The most important component of his research is the deciphered and published lapidary inscriptions of the region, presented in six volumes of the series "Epigraphic Heritage of Nakhichevan" («Նախ­իջևա­նի վիմագրա­կան ժառանգությունը»):

1. Djugha (1.200 inscriptions, 2004)
2. Agulis (715 inscriptions, 2005)
3. Goghtn (447 inscriptions 2007)
4. Yerndjak (850 inscriptions, 2008)
5. Nakhtchavan, Sharur (345 inscriptions, 2009)
6. Tchahuk, Shahaponk (296 inscriptions, 2010).

Professor Levon Sargsyan, PhD, also left his mark in the field of Armenian epigraphy. In 2006 he defended his doctoral thesis on the topic «The dedicatory inscriptions of Armenia, IX-XIV centuries» («Հայաստանի նվիրատվական արձանագրությունները  IX-XIV դդ.»), which was published as a book in 2007. Levon Sargsyan is also the author of several articles on epigraphy.

Current projects

The current projects of the Department of Epigraphy are carried out by senior researchers, Ashot Manucharyan, PhD, Arsen Harutyunyan, PhD, Gagik Sargsyan, PhD, researchers Hayk Hakobyan, PhD, Susanna Adamyan, PhD, Ruben Gasparyan, and senior laboratory assistants Satenik Khurshudyan and Arevik Gapoyan.

The head of the Department Arsen Harutyunyan is the author of 5 monographs and about 60 articles. It is worth noting his monograph dedicated to the epigraphic heritage of Vagharshapat, which contains more than 700 inscriptions (2016). Arsen Harutyunyan's main work is the compilation of the “Corpus inscriptionum Armenicarum” of Armavir Province of the Republic of Armenia, but in parallel with this, the author's scientific interests include field studies of historical and cultural monuments, consideration of various issues of archaeology.

Gagik Sargsyan has been collecting and studying inscriptions of Kotayk Province of the Republic of Armenia for many years, supervised and participated in the excavations of a number of historical-architectural and archaeological monuments (the cave settlement of Spitak, the monastery of Teghenyats, the church of Mirak village). He is the author of 3 monographs and about 70 articles.

Ashot Manucharyan, with the assistance of Arevik Gapoyan, completed the compilation of the book of Aragatsotn Province of the “Corpus inscriptionum Armenicarum” series. The fruitful work of Ashot Manucharyan resulted in 5 monographs and more than 70 articles devoted to the study of various issues of epigraphy and Armenian history of the Middle Ages.

Hayk Hakobyan is mainly engaged in the study of the epigraphic heritage, an important evidence of which was the publication in 2016 of the collection of inscriptions of Gandzasar and Havotsptuk left by H. Orbeli in the archives. This work of Hayk Hakobyan is also valuable because the collection was replenished with newly discovered inscriptions copied by Sedrak Barkhudaryan, Bagrat Ulubabyan and the editor himself.

Adamyan's scientific research includes the study of epigraphic inscriptions in the works of such Armenian topographers as Mesrop Smbatyants, Makar Barkhudaryants and others. She carried out work on collecting inscriptions in those territories of Gegharkunik Province of the Republic of Armenia that were not included in the corresponding volume of the “Corpus inscriptionum Armenicarum”. She copied several dozen newly discovered inscriptions. The results of her scientific work is reflected in more than a dozen articles

Ruben Gasparyan has published more than a dozen articles devoted to the study of a number of historical and cultural monuments of the Developed Middle Ages, the life and activity of a number of prominent representatives of the ruling class.

Junior researcher Satenik Khurshudyan is studying the epigraphic heritage of the border villages in the Goris region of Syunik Province, Republic of Armenia. She has also begun collecting epigraphic material documented in the Armenian press.

In conclusion, we consider it entirely appropriate to remember and pay tribute to the talented draftsmen of the Department, who played an important role in the creation of the “Corpus inscriptionum Armenicarum”: Norayr Khanzadyan of blessed memory, Levon Avagyan, who passed away early, and Gevorg Ambartsumyan, who continues to do this work to this year.