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This manuscript is a liturgical psalter and perpetual calendar for the Armenian church. Psalms 1-147 are divided into eight canons, each of which is divided into seven sections. Canticles from the Old Testament follow each canon. Psalms 148-150 are followed by the canticle of the Three Hebrew Children, the three New Testament canticles, Psalm 151, the prayer of Manasseh, and the prayer composed by Saint Nersēs Shnorhali (the Graceful) for the twenty-four hours of the day. The manuscript includes ten full-page illuminations of Biblical figures and illuminated headpieces at the beginning of the eight canons of the the Psalter. The perpetual calendar at the end of the volume is presented with tables of the quincentenary cycle, explanatory notes, and dates of the feasts celebrated by the Armenian church. The scribe and illuminator may be the Yovanēs who is named in an internal colophon (p. 281).
Support: Parchment; Extent: ii+253; 110 x 78 mm bound to 117 x 87 mm; Foliation: Modern pagination in pencil, upper right recto; Collation: 1 (13, +3), 2 (13, +8), 3 (12), 4 (13, +6), 5-7 (12), 8 (13, +6), 9 (12), 10 (13, +8), 11 (12), 12 (13, +5), 13 (12), 14 (13, +4), 15 (13, +13), 16 (12), 17 (10), 18 (13, +8), 19-20 (12), 21 (10); Signatures: Quires 1-17 signed 1-17, lower center last verso and first recto; quires 18-21 signed 1-4, lower center last verso and first recto; signed with Armenian numerals; no signatures at the beginning of the first quire or the end of the last quire in a sequence, or when the last verso or first recto of a quire has a full-page illumination (p. 368)
One column of twenty-two lines; vertical bounding lines ruled in red ink; written area: 70 x 44 mm
Bolorgir
Ten full-page miniatures (David the Psalmist, Flyleaf i; the Prophet Moses, pp. 34, 80, 131; Hannah, p. 178; the Prophet Isaiah, p. 232; the Prophet Isaiah with King Hezekiah, p. 276; the Prophet Isaiah, p. 323; the Prophet Habakkuk, p. 368; an unidentified figure with halo and book, p. 428); eight illuminated headpieces with accompanying ornament in the margin at the opening of each of the eight canons of the Psalms (pp. 1, 42, 89, 140, 186, 238, 282, 330), with the opening line of each canon written in bird letters and the second line in erkat'agir; one illuminated headpiece in the perpetual calendar (p. 431); marginal ornaments (numerous small illustrations of King David and illustrations of a few other figures, geometric designs, arabesques, and birds) throughout; large initials in colors and burnished gold, usually accompanying marginal ornaments; small initials in blue or burnished gold
For a full list of Decorations in this manuscript please see the Content and Decorations section by clicking on the [i] button in the top left corner of the image viewer above.
These are pages that we pulled aside that disrupted the flow of the manuscript reader. These may be bindings, inserts, bookmarks, and various other oddities.
Armenia
16th century
Blind-tooled morocco; two metal clasps on ribbons; vertical crack in spine; folio edges have gilding and floral designs
Armenian
Illuminated "for the enjoyment of the youth Simēon" (inscription, fol. 1v); purchased by Bart'ułimēos Davrižec'i on August 1, A.E. 1186 (1737) and offered by him to the Holy See of Ējmiatsin as a memorial to himself, to his deceased brother Gaspar, to his parents, the priest Vardan and P'arixan, and to other unnamed relatives (inscription, p. 185); Philip S. Collins, Philadelphia (bookplate inside front cover); gift of Mrs. Philip S. Collins in memory of her husband, 1945
Armenia
16th century
Armenian
Illuminated "for the enjoyment of the youth Simēon"
This manuscript is a liturgical psalter and perpetual calendar for the Armenian church. Psalms 1-147 are divided into eight canons, each of which is divided into seven sections. Canticles from the Old Testament follow each canon. Psalms 148-150 are followed by the canticle of the Three Hebrew Children, the three New Testament canticles, Psalm 151, the prayer of Manasseh, and the prayer composed by Saint Nersēs Shnorhali (the Graceful) for the twenty-four hours of the day. The manuscript includes ten full-page illuminations of Biblical figures and illuminated headpieces at the beginning of the eight canons of the the Psalter. The perpetual calendar at the end of the volume is presented with tables of the quincentenary cycle, explanatory notes, and dates of the feasts celebrated by the Armenian church. The scribe and illuminator may be the Yovanēs who is named in an internal colophon (p. 281).
Bolorgir
Ten full-page miniatures (David the Psalmist, Flyleaf i; the Prophet Moses, pp. 34, 80, 131; Hannah, p. 178; the Prophet Isaiah, p. 232; the Prophet Isaiah with King Hezekiah, p. 276; the Prophet Isaiah, p. 323; the Prophet Habakkuk, p. 368; an unidentified figure with halo and book, p. 428); eight illuminated headpieces with accompanying ornament in the margin at the opening of each of the eight canons of the Psalms (pp. 1, 42, 89, 140, 186, 238, 282, 330), with the opening line of each canon written in bird letters and the second line in erkat'agir; one illuminated headpiece in the perpetual calendar (p. 431); marginal ornaments (numerous small illustrations of King David and illustrations of a few other figures, geometric designs, arabesques, and birds) throughout; large initials in colors and burnished gold, usually accompanying marginal ornaments; small initials in blue or burnished gold
For a full list of Decorations in this manuscript please see the Content and Decorations section by clicking on the [i] button in the top left corner of the image viewer above.
These are pages that we pulled aside that disrupted the flow of the manuscript reader. These may be bindings, inserts, bookmarks, and various other oddities.
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