Pre-modern non-European History
More general subjects:
More specific subjects:
- Australasia & Pacific (c. 500-1500) | Central Asia (c. 500-1500) | China & East Asia (c. 500-1500) | Early colonial history of the Americas | General Mediterranean, incl North Africa & Middle East (c. 500-1500) | History of the Jews & the Jewish diaspora | Silk Roads (c. 500-1500) | Sub-Saharan Africa (c. 500-1500) | Ιndia & South-East Asia (c. 500-1500)
Ukhtanēs on Noah and Armenian Parabiblical Traditions
This article examines the Noah material found in the tenth-century Armenian historical work by Ukhtanēs. The traditions known to him are compared with those in the abundant later Noah parabiblical works and while he has some unique emphases on the other hand he is not familiar with material common in later parabiblical texts.
Armenian Bole (Deposits, Chemical Composition, Application) and References to It in Medieval Armenian Medical Texts
This article explores the historical and modern applications of Armenian bole (bolus armenicus) in medicine highlighting its anti-inflammatory anti-allergic anti-tumour and other therapeutic properties. The historical use of this clay is witnessed by prominent Armenian and foreign scholars of the Middle Ages. Its significance extended into both Eastern and Western medicine until the eighteenth century. Today as confirmed by research at the Matenadaran Armenian bole is still valued in traditional medicine. The resurgence of interest in Armenian bole aligns with a broader trend towards integrating traditional remedies with modern medical practices. The geological and mineralogical analysis of Armenian bole reveals its rich composition. It has diverse applications in medicine and industry. This study includes citations from medieval medical works and concludes with the potential of Armenian bole’s catalytic properties which will be the focus of future research.
The “Nazlum Family Medical Book”: Codex M11161 and Its “Medical Book on Horses”
This article presents a challenging and complex study of a hitherto unexplored medical manuscript the codex no. 11161 of the Matenadaran (M11161) starting with its physical characteristics provenance and textual composition. By a detailed analysis of one of the key texts of this medical compilation a book on horses it is compared with other medical manuscripts. Through our research it has been possible to date and locate the production of this unusual manuscript more precisely and to place it within the Armenian medical tradition between medieval Cilicia and early modern Nor Jugha (New Julfa) — not without a surprise at the end.
The Armenian Translation and the Greek Text of Philo’s De Abrahamo 1–16
The aim of this article is to demonstrate the importance of the old Armenian translation of Philo’s De Abrahamo in establishing its correct Greek original. The work on a forthcoming critical edition of the Armenian text provides us with new information on the Greek text as well. It is argued that the Greek manuscript from which the treatise was translated into Armenian was independent of the archetype of the extant Greek manuscripts and free from certain errors contained in the archetype. Furthermore the relations of the Armenian text with the two main recensions of the Greek manuscripts are described. It is also argued that the Greek manuscript from which the work was translated did not have its own specific errors.
Essai pour une nouvelle lecture du bas-relief du tympan inférieur du narthex de l’église Saint-Étienne le Protomartyr du monastère de Noravankʻ
The lower tympanum of the entrance door located on the west façade of the narthex (founded in 1261) adjacent to the Church of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr of Noravankʻ presents a curious composition with the Virgin and Child at the centre. It reveals a unique and meaningful representation. The bird under the feet of the Child representing the clay bird reveals the apocryphal tale of the miracle of the infant Jesus who in the likeness of the Father creating Adam fashioned birds out of clay and animated them with His breath much like the Father animated the body of Adam. Another noteworthy detail is the lion or lion cub on which the Child seems to be seated representing the lion of the tribe of Judah as seen in Daniel’s vision in the Book of Esdras symbolising the Messiah reserved by the Most High for the end of days the one who will rise from the lineage of David to deliver the earth.
On either side of the Virgin and Child amidst interlacing patterns stand the prophets of the Old Testament presented in busts adorned with halos and shown in profile with their heads turned toward the Virgin. To the left a large letter Ա slightly inclined to the right is positioned between the prophet and the Virgin. A three-pointed arrow projects from the vowel Ա pointing towards the Virgin Mary seems to enter directly into her ear guiding us towards the incarnation of Christ according to the formula used by Saint Ephrem the Syrian to describe a conception through the ear. Below the word ԲԱՌՆ stands out from the background emphasising the idea of the utterance and the prophecy of the virgin conception and birth of the “Son of Man” who is also the “Son of God” endowed with the power and creative breath of the Father. This exceptional and erudite presentation is reinforced by the inscription framing this beautiful composition: ԱՅՍ ԷԱՌ ԻՄ: ԱՒՐՀՆԵԱԼ Է ԱՀԵՂ ԱՆՈՒՆՆ Ա[ՍՏՈՒԱ]Ծ Ի ԾԱԳԱՑ ՄԻՆՉ Ի ԾԱԳՍ ԾԱԳԻՆ ՈՐ ՈՉ ՀԱՏ ԵՒ ՈՉ ՎՃ[ԱՌ] (“He took my breath. Blessed be the fearsome name of God from the ends to the end of the end which has no beginning and no end”).
An Opuscule of Yovhannēs Orotnets‘i on Divine Names
This article presents a small text by Yovhannēs Orotnets‘i on divine names that is preserved in Matenadaran manuscript 2121. The paper first provides a brief overview of Orotnets‘i’s life and works then an edition and translation of the text with commentary. The commentary elucidates parallels with the works attributed to Dionysius the Areopagite Aristotle Dawit‘ Anyaght‘ (David the Invincible) the scholiastic tradition on the corpus Areopagiticum John of Damascus and Armenian commentaries on grammar. Many of the points forwarded by Orotnets‘i also appear in the writings of his student Grigor Tat‘ewats‘i (1344–1409). The text underscores not only Orotnets‘i’s erudition but also how the ideas found in the works attributed to Dionysius the Areopagite were integrated with the study of grammar philosophy theology and biblical exegesis in the monastic school curricula of Gladzor and Tat‘ew.
La premiere œuvre de Nersēs Shnorhali (1121): (Sacralisation poétique d’une geste nationale)
The article examines the epic poem Vipasanut‘iwn by Nersēs Shnorhali composed in 1121 which marks the start of this eminent Armenian poet’s literary career. Using monorhyme octosyllables Shnorhali broke new ground in Armenian poetry. He drew on the History of Movsēs Khorenats‘i and works of other historians to recount historical events the lineage of the Arshakuni dynasty and in particular the challenges faced by Christian Armenia during the Seljuk invasions. The “solidarity” between the epic deeds of his own family i.e. the Arshakuni ancestors and the historical events related to the Armenian nation is a central theme in his work. Though Nersēs Shnorhali regards divine providence as key to understanding history and overcoming the crises of his time he offers a lesson that remains relevant to Armenia’s contemporary challenges.
The First of Early Modern Armenian Diplomats: Rethinking Abgar Dpir’s Contribution to Armenian National History
This article addresses the understudied field of early modern Armenian diplomacy specifically focusing on the overlooked case of Abgar Dpir’s delegation to Rome in 1562. The delegation marked a turning point in Armenian religious history triggering Vatican’s aggressive intervention and exacerbating the confessional division between Catholic and Apostolic Armenians. This paper aims to unravel the motives behind Abgar’s mission acknowledging the diverse goals of those involved. As such the article claims that Abgar Dpir was not of royal origin. This background was invented by Etchmiadzin leaders to fit Abgar within the Western “society of princes” and to give his delegation a fighting chance. Additionally the author states that Abgar’s printing activity was a cover-up for his diplomatic mission. Rooted in the “new diplomatic history” paradigm this article contributes to the understanding of non-elite intermediaries in Mediterranean cross-confessional diplomacy during the early modern period.
The Problem of Armenian Origins in the Light of Recent Archaeogenetic Data
The article presents the latest archaeogenetic data on the basis of which one of the most major problems of the history of Armenia—the origins and formation of the Armenian people—is examined. According to these data regardless of the localisation of the early Indo-European (Indo-Hittite) Urheimat the late Indo-European homeland was formed in the steppe and forest-steppe regions of Eastern Europe from the Volga to the Dniester basins. It was from there that all the present Indo-European languages originated. Archaeogenetic data convincingly prove a migration of people across the Caucasus from the East European steppes to the South Caucasus and the Armenian Highland starting from the mid-third millennium BC. Those migrants and their descendants created the Trialeti-Vanadzor Sevan-Artsakh Van-Urmia and Lchashen-Metsamor cultures of the Middle Late Bronze and Iron Ages. Even at the end of the kingdom of Urartu (seventh–sixth centuries BC) the local population in the territory of modern Armenia (the land Etiuni of Urartian sources) still had a significant steppe patrilineal DNA (75%). Armenian should have been the language of the creators of those cultures and archaeogenetic data testify in favour of the Etiuni hypothesis of the origin of the Armenians.
The Hermeneutical Jew
Essays on Inter-Religious Encounters in Honour of Jeremy Cohen
The interconnected histories of Judaism and Christianity are explored in this compelling volume honouring the influential work of Jeremy Cohen. Cohen’s pioneering studies have reshaped our understanding of these religious traditions emphasizing the crucial role of cross-religious engagements in forming their self-perceptions and identities.
Comprising fifteen chapters the book is organized into four thematic sections. The first section Literary Mirrors and Inter-Religious Representations explores patterns of internalizations (mis)representations and appropriations between competing religious traditions. The second section Physical and Figurative Encounters addresses the roles played by visible and physical markers in setting interreligious boundaries and exchanges. The third section Agents of Anti-Jewish Discourse focuses on Christian thinkers of the late Middle Ages who propagated anti-Jewish measures or prejudices across different genres and causes. The final section The Transformability of the Jews and the Hermeneutics of Inter-Religious Conversion examines the cultural and intellectual impact of different efforts to convert Jews and Jewishness.
This collection of new studies by leading medievalists serves as a fitting tribute to Jeremy Cohen’s groundbreaking contributions and offers readers an insightful look into the complex world of medieval and early modern religious identity.
Explorations in Islamic Archaeology
Material Culture, Settlements, and Landscapes from the Mediterranean to Western Asia
This volume presents contributions by leading scholars on various topics and aspects of Islamic Archaeology a discipline which has recently seen the development of exciting new approaches to the study of the material culture of the Muslim world. This material culture was produced by and/or for Muslims as well as by and/or for non-Muslims living under Islamic rule from the 7th century onward in an expanding and ultimately vast area reaching from southern Europe to West Asia.
The contributions in this book focus on Jordan Oman Spain Turkey Lebanon as well as Israel and cover a timespan from the 7th century through the Mamluk period to the early 20th century. They highlight the archaeology of large Islamic centers in the past but also of the material culture in smaller sites and peripheral regions. Special emphasis is paid to pottery as one of the main artifacts that carry information on past societies but other finds and materials are discussed as well. The aspect of Islamic material culture which receives particular attention is ‘production’ specifically the production of clay vessels glaze mercury and crops.
What unites the new approaches presented here is that Islam is understood as both a ‘religion’ and a framework for economic cultural and social networks and influence. In this perspective the volume aims to offer students of Islamic archaeology historians of Islam and archaeologists of different disciplines a glimpse of the state-of-the-art in current Islamic Archaeology
Teaching and Studying Philosophy in Jewish Culture during the Middle Ages
This book offers the first survey of philosophical pedagogy in Jewish culture during the Middle Ages with a focus on Northern France the Provence Italy and Spain. By examining not only the discourse of renowned philosophers such as Maimonides and Gersonides but also oft-neglected manuscript evidence of educational practices and students’ notes the book offers a nuanced understanding of the medieval Jewish intellectual landscape and shows how Jewish educators brought intricate debates on metaphysics ethics and epistemology into the classroom. The book also sheds light on the broader societal and cultural contexts that influenced these philosophical pursuits.
An essential read for anyone interested in the history of philosophy Jewish studies or medieval intellectual culture this book celebrates the enduring legacy of Jewish philosophical thought and its pivotal role in shaping the intellectual currents of the Middle Ages.
A Note on Armenian-Caucasian Albanian Contacts: The Words for “Bishop” and “Maid”
The paper discusses two possible borrowings between Classical Armenian and Caucasian Albanian (CAlb.). It is argued that CAlb. isḳaṗos is borrowed from Arm. (e)piskapos attested in two of the earliest Armenian inscriptions and modern Armenian dialects. The similarity of CAlb. axal- “nurse” and Arm. ałaxin “maid female servant” is probably not due to chance.
A Gusan Gestalt Shift: Differing Perceptions of the Bard in Movsēs Daskhurants‘i’s History of the Caucasian Albanians
This paper seeks to reinscribe the debate regarding the Christianisation of the gusans (bards) from one concerned with an essentialised notion of “Christian-ness” to one which better accounts for the multifarious notions of “Christian” in medieval Armenia. That is the contrary conceptions of the gusan in literary and material sources are surveyed and taxonomised. By way of a close reading of Movsēs Daskhurants‘i’s History of the Caucasian Albanians supplemented by an exegesis of the gusan in other canonical Armenian histories the gusan as a polemical category in clerical literature is shown to represent the antithesis of Christian piety. However the spoor of a more general assimilation of the gusan into Christian society specifically that of the gentry and laypeople is evidenced by other material sources and texts. The intention of this paper is to offer a new approach with which to think about the gusan and Armenia’s pre-Christian heritage writ large.
“Medieval Violence” and Legal Issues of Everyday Life in Cilician Armenia (Late Twelfth–Fourteenth Centuries)
In the lawcodes used in the Armenian state of Cilicia there are numerous definitions of violence which are important to be considered in the medieval context. These are in the codes of Mkhit‘ar Gosh (c. 1120/30–1213) and Smbat the Constable (1208–1276). In particular there are cases of violence defined in the matrimonial law and clauses regarding various aspects of everyday relations. What examples of violence can be found in the sources related to the history of Cilician Armenia and how are these cases legally defined? How can these definitions reflect the multifaceted episodes of daily life in Cilician Armenia? These are the main questions discussed in this article.
Translation of the Genitive Absolute in the Armenian Alexander Romance: Exploring the Shift from Sensus de Sensu to Verbum de Verbo Approach
This article discusses the translation techniques employed in rendering the Greek genitive absolute in Book I of the Armenian Alexander Romance amidst the transition from sensus de sensu to verbum de verbo translation approach. Through a comparative analysis of corresponding passages in the Armenian and Greek texts six primary techniques are revealed — three leaning towards descriptive interpretations and three favouring a more literal rendition. These techniques align closely with those found in other translations labelled pre-Hellenising. The findings not only enhance our understanding of translation practices in the fifth and sixth century Armenia but also provide valuable insights for the broader field of translation studies. Also the results add evidence to the discussion of the still obscure question of continuity between the classical pre-Hellenising and Hellenising translations.
“Don’t Forget about the Silver Covers!”: Newly Discovered Silverwork by the Armenian Silversmiths of Kayseri (Seventeenth–Eighteenth Centuries)
A seventeenth to eighteenth-century workshop of Armenian silversmiths from Kayseri Cappadocia is notable for having produced repoussé silver covers for religious manuscripts liturgical objects and luxury household articles. These objects were manufactured in silver gold or silvered copper and were occasionally further embellished with colorful enamels and/or gems. Nearly seventy objects from this workshop have been identified; about a third are inscribed with the name of the silversmith and the date and place of production (Kayseri). Uninscribed objects created in this same workshop have been identified on the basis of technical and stylistic comparisons with the inscribed ones. This article will summarise the history of this workshop discuss examples of the objects produced and explain the iconography which inspired the silversmiths. I will then introduce some newly identified objects from the workshop a dish and bowl set in the collection of the Alex and Marie Manoogian Museum (Southfield Michigan). The materials technique of manufacture and style confirm their origin in this Armenian atelier. The surprising inspirations for the motifs and iconography used in these pieces will also be explained. This article also includes the results of my provenance research as well as the fascinating findings of the Manoogian Museum’s scientific analysis of the objects. Possible future research will be proposed. It is hoped that by dissemination of further information about this workshop more objects will be discovered analyzed and properly identified.