Four Gospels

Found In:

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library > Four Gospels


16362879

Description

Title
Four Gospels
Alternative Title
Bible. Armenian Gospels
Contributor
Eusebius, of Caesarea, Bishop of Caesarea, approximately 260-approximately 340.
Momik.
Pawłos vardapet.
Taronacʻi, Tʻoros, active 14th century.
Yoḥanes.
Yovhannēs.
Published / Created
1307-1331.
Publication Place
Siwnikʻ, Armenia and Armenia Siwnikʻ
Abstract

Illuminated manuscript on parchment of the four Gospels. Contains (1) Eusebius' Letter to Carpianus, ff. 2v-3r; (2) Canon Tables I-X, ff. 3v-11r; (3) Gospel of Matthew, including index, concordance, and portrait, ff. 12r-96v; (4) Gospel of Mark, including index, preface, and portrait, ff. 97r-149v; (5) Gospel of Luke, including index, preface, and portrait, ff. 150r-233v; (6) Gospel of John, including index, preface, and portrait of John and Prochoros, ff. 234v-297v; (7) reading on the woman taken in adultery, ff. 297v-298r; (8) principal colophon, ff. 298v-299v

Description
In Armenian.
Layout: two columns of 19 lines. Section numbers in margins against text, and concordance numbers in lower margins.
Script: bolorgir.
Decoration: miniatures and illuminations by Tʻoros Taronacʻi, some signed. Full-page portraits of the Evangelists. Ornate frames, headpieces, marginal decorations. Zoomorphic letters, ornate initials.
Binding: leather over boards. Front cover has metal cross and other ornaments; rear cover is stamped. Patterned linen doublures on inside covers.
Colophon (fols. 298v-299v) indicates the manuscript was written for Ovanē Ōrpēli (also Awrpēli), a member of the Ōrbelean family which held extensive domains in the same province. Codex was executed at the monastery of Noravank' by the scribe Momik, who was assisted by the vardapet Pawłos. These two scribes completed the greater part of the writing by AE 756 (=AD 1307), when Momik had serious trouble with his eyes. Manuscript was completed by another scribe, Yohanēs or Yovhannēs. Momik recovered his sight in AE 780 (=AD 1331) and wrote the colophon in which he gives interesting information concerning the copy of the manuscript and the feudal lords of Siwnikʻ. The book then passed into the possession of Archbishop Step'anos-Tarsayič, also a member of the Ōrbelean family. In AD 1331 Archbishop Step'anos-Tarsayič had the manuscript "adorned with gold and silver" by order of prince Biwrt'ēl, the head of the Ōrbelean family. Since replaced by current leather binding.
In AE 855 (=AD 1406) the manuscript belonged to a priest named Sēt' (fol. 235r). Later inscriptions indicate that the manuscript was acquired by the craftsman Awēt and his brothers and sons, who in turn offered it to the church of Surb Yakob (St. James) in the town of Cʻałman (fol. 235v); a second indicates the manuscript subsequently belonged to an individual named And[r]ēas and his sons (fol. 236r).
Provenance
Purchased from Hartford Seminary on the Beinecke Rare Book & Capital Reserve Fund, 2005.
Extent
1 volume (300 leaves) : 255 mm x 185 mm
Extent of Digitization
This object has been partially digitized.
Language
Armenian

Collection Information

Repository
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Call Number
Hartford Seminary Armenian MSS 3

Subjects, Formats, And Genres

Genre
Canon tables
Gospels
Manuscripts, Armenian 14th century
Manuscripts, Medieval Armenia 14th century
Armenian manuscripts
Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Material
parchment ;
Resource Type
text
Subject (Geographic)
Armenia.
Connecticut
New Haven.
Subject (Topic)
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Armenian
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscripts, Medieval
Subjects
Bible. Armenian
Bible. Gospels. Armenian
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Armenian
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval > Armenia
Manuscripts, Medieval > Connecticut > New Haven
14th century
Armenia > 14th century
Armenian manuscripts
Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in Beinecke Library
Awēt > Ownership
Andrēas > Ownership
Ovanē Ōrpēli > Ownership
Sēt' > Ownership
Step'anos-Tarsayič Archbishop > Ownership
Hartford Theological Seminary. Case Memorial Library > Ownership
Ōrbelyan family > Ownership

Access And Usage Rights

Access
Public
Rights
The use of this image may be subject to the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) or to site license or other rights management terms and conditions. The person using the image is liable for any infringement.
Citation
Four Gospels. General Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University.

Identifiers

Orbis Record
16261070
Object ID (OID)
16362879

Tools