THE FLOURISHING OF ARMENIAN CULTURE

THE SUPERB BEAUTY AND INSPIRATION OF ARMENIAN ILLUMINATED
MANUSCRIPTS REACHED ITS ZENITH DURING HIGH MIDDLE AGES
UNDER MASTER ARTISTS LIKE TOROS ROSLIN AND SARKIS PIČAK.
 

Written by Gevork Nazaryan

In 885, the Bagratids restored the Kingdom of Armenia, thus paving a way for the rebirth and renewal of Armenian Culture to new levels of progress. Illuminated Manuscripts were being written and old ones reproduced. New architectural masterpieces such as the Mother Cathedral of Ani, the Bagratid capital were being erected. The City of Ani, due to its numerous churches and cathedrals became known as the "City of 1001 Churches." Ani during this period was one of the largest cities in Near East, serving as an international trading center on the Silk Road stretching from the Far East to Europe. The renaissance of the Armenian Civilization sustained a setback when hoards of nomadic Seljuks began their destructive raids on Armenian cities and towns -- killing, burning and pillaging anyone and anything they came across. The Seljuks not only killed the people, but also "killed" culture and civilization.

THIS VITH CENTURY IVORY BOOK COVER HAS BEEN
MIRACULOUSLY PRESERVED AND HAS REACHED OUR OWN DAYS
PRIMARILY DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS NOT MADE OUT OF LEATHER
NOTE THE EQUILATERAL CROSS WITHIN THE WREATH OF GLORY [WITH A
PASSING THROUGH RIBBON] AT THE TOP WITH TWO ANGELS ON THE SIDES
FACING EAST AND WEST 5 POINTS WITHIN THE CROSS [SUPERIMPOSED ON X LINES]
-- 8 POINTS ON TIPS OF THE WINGS AND 3 POINTS WITHOUT ON THE WREATH.

G E N E R A L   P L A N   O F   T H E   K E C H A R I S   C O M P L E X.

ARMENIAN'S LOVE FOR BOOKS [CONSIDERED TO BE SACRED] AND WISDOM RUNS DEEP.
COUNTLESS TIMES MANY ARMENIANS WOULD RISK AND EVEN SACRIFICE THEIR LIVES
IN ORDER TO SAVE BOOKS FROM THE HANDS OF THOSE RUTHLESS MEN WHO CARED
LITTLE ABOUT PRESERVING BOOKS, KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM OR
CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION FOR THAT MATTER.

HERMETIC WISDOM OF THE ANCESTORS ENCODED INTO SACRED TEXTS...

GOSPEL MATENADARAN MS. NO. 9422. XIIITH CENTURY XORAN CANONS
10 & 10 P. 9b-10a. [BELOW]. TWIN PILLARS/COLUMNS SUPPORTING THE Π GATE
IN THE CENTER ABOVE...TOROIDAL MANDALA...TWO SMALLER RINGS
OF INFINITI [∞] LEAD TO THE LARGER CENTER [TRIUNE]. THE BLUE GEM/PEARL
IN THE VERY HEART WITH TWELVE RADIATING BEAMS [ZODIAC]. FERTILITY/
VEGETATIVE/HUNT SCENES BY HORSEMEN ARCHERS...FEM. ETERNAL PRINCIPLE
THE VESSEL OF GOD OUT OF WHOM EMERGES THE FLEUR-DE-LYS TRI-BRANCH
TREE OF LIFE...

COUNTLESS  SCENES AND DECORATIVE MARGINALIA IN XORANS AND
TITLE PAGES FORMED INCREDIBLY RICH ORNAMENTATION IMBUED WITH SACRED
SUBLIME SYMBOLISM...PEACOCK [PHOENIX SUN-BIRD] ON TOP [APOTHEOSIS]
OF THE TREE OF LIFE/KNOWLEDGE WITH EMERGING SPIRALING BRANCHES...
NOTE THE BLACK AND WHITE STEEDS OF FLANKING RIDERS...


GOSPEL MATENADARAN MS. NO. 9422. XORAN P. 7.6a THE THREE PILLARS...
SUPPORTING THE GOLDEN TWIN ARCHES [RED AND BLUE TOROIDAL VULVAS]
WITH THE TRIPLE-GOD HEAD [TRIUNE] IN THE CENTER/HEART...

GOSPEL MATENADARAN MS. NO. 9422. XORAN P. 17.b
TWIN PILLARS SUPPORTING THE ARCHES. SAINT WITH THE GLOWING
GOLDEN AURA/HALO OF SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATION. EIGHT POINTED STAR [UPON
THE RED SQUARE/COSMIC CUBE] [GODDESS] FLANKED BY PEACOCKS.

GOSPEL MATENADARAN MS. NO. 9422. XORAN P. 18a
COSMIC STAR GATE. TWIN PEACOCKS FLANK THE GOLDEN [GRAIL] CHALICE UPON
THE RED SQUARE.

GOSPEL MATENADARAN MS. NO. 9422. XORAN P. 107a TITLE PAGE OF GOSPEL OF
MARK. NOTE THE FLEUR DE-LYS [PHALLUS]. CHRIST AND LION [MITHRAS...] ON ONE
U-ESQUE STEM [DUALITY IN UNION, CORPOREAL AND SPIRITUAL NATURE OF MAN]...
TWO PEACOCKS FLANK THE COSMIC EGG ABOVE THE Π-GATE [NOTE THE INTERWOVEN
ALCHEMICAL RED, BLUE AND GOLD MOTIF WITHIN...]. THE COSMIC CROSS/AXIS
UPON THE TREE OF LIFE/AXIS MUNDI/WORLD COLUMN.

GOSPEL MATENADARAN MS. NO. 9422. XORAN P. 248a. TITLE PAGE OF GOSPEL
OF JOHN. THE LATHER OF ANGELS LEADING TO CHRIST [RED] AND ULTIMATELY
GOD THE FATHER [BLUE] WITHIN AURAS AND EMANATING RAYS...

K I N G   G A G I K  I  [908-943] OF ARTSRUNI [ARCRUNI] DYNASTY
OF THE KINGDOM OF VASPURAKAN. RELIEF FROM THE
CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS [914-21] ON THE BEAUTIFUL
ISLAND OF AŁT‛AMAR [AGHTAMAR] ON LAKE VAN. THE KING IS SYMBOLICALLY
 HOLDING IN HIS LEFT HAND THE NEWLY ERECTED CHURCH.

THE WHOLE EXTERIOR OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS IS COVERED WITH
BEAUTIFUL SACRED RELIEFS -- WHILE THE INTERIOR IS EMBELLISHED WITH
SACRED FRESCOES. THE MONUMENT LIKE SO MANY ARMENIAN
MONUMENTS IN HISTORIC ARMENIA IS ENDANGERED AND STILL MIRACULOUSLY
STANDS.

FLOOR PLAN OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS ON AŁT‛AMAR ISLAND

GAGIK I WAS A GREAT PATRON OF CULTURE AND SCIENCE. THE  ARTSRUNI DYNASTY WAS
AMBITIOUSLY COMPETING WITH THE BAGRATIDS [WHO AMONG OTHER WONDERS
HAD IN THEIR ARSENAL THE CITY OF 1001 CHURCHES...]. THE PATRONAGE
OF THE ARTS FORMED AN IMPORTANT COUNTENANCE OF  THE ONGOING 'COLD WAR.'
SKETCH SHOWS THE ERODED CHURCH MODEL IN ITS CONTEMPORARY FORMAT.
A R M A N   M A S T E R   B U I L D E R S  BY THE OUTSTANDING ARCHITECT AND
PHILOSOPHER VISIONARY A. A. VARBEDIAN. THE ARMENIAN SOUL-SPIRIT
IN ITS TRUE ESSENCE IS A CREATIVE FACTOR -- YEARNING FOR  O R D E R,
B E A U T Y   A N D   D I V I N E    H   A   R   M   O   N   Y...

TODAY THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS IS AN IMPORTANT TOURIST SITE DUE TO
ITS SUPERB RELIEFS THAT ADORN THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOLY SANCTUARY.
THE SPECTACULAR SETTING IN THE MIDST OF CRYSTAL BLUE
WATERS OF LAKE VAN SURROUNDED BY THE SOLEMN BEAUTY OF THE
SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS ONLY ADDS TO THE SACREDNESS OF THE HOLY GROUND.

XIIITH CENTURY KHACHKAR OF GOŠAVANK‛, DILIJAN BY MASTER PAVŁOS.
 A MASTERPIECE OF GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE ON DISPLAY IN THE HISTORY MUSEUM
OF ARMENIA. ONE CAN ONLY WONDER HOW THE MASTERWORK WAS CREATED
FROM SOLID HARD STONE.

CROSS-STONE OF GREGORY TUDEORDI IN SANAHIN BY MASTERS GREGORY AND
AVETIS. 1184. THE COSMIC CRUX [TWELVE SNAKING BRANCHES OF THE ZODIAC]
 UPON THE WHEEL OF ETERNITY WITHIN THE ARCH OF HEAVEN ALL AS
INTERWOVEN MATRIX WITHIN Π...

XACHK‛AR [1211-1212] IN MASTARA. IMBUED WITH AN ARRAY OF SACRED ROSETTES.

BEAUTIFUL FOLK SCENES OF HARMONIOUS ARMENIC COMMUNAL LIVING.


G E N E R A L   P L A N   O F   T H E   G E Ł A R D   C O M P L E X.


SOME OF THE ANCIENT IDENTIFICATION
MARKINGS OF THE ARMENIAN MASTER ARCHITECTS
ALONG WITH THE KHOYAK  [LIT. RAM] A COLUMN PILLAR IN A FORM OF
A HORNED BULL WITH LEFT AND RIGHT SPIRALS

A BLACK AND RED [USING THE COVETED SECRET FORMULA DYE OF
THE VORDAN KARMIR] MANUSCRIPT FROM XTH CENTURY
WITH THE ERKAT‛AGIR FONT. THE HERMITIC SCRIBE PLACED THE HOLY SYMBOL --
THE SACRED SEVENTH [Ē] LETTER BETWEEN TWO JUXTAPOSED TRIANGLES
AT BOTTOM.


CHASHOTS MATENADARAN MS. NO. 985, P. 121a. IXTH CENTURY
ERKAT'AGIR MANUSCRIPT.

ONE OF THE WINGS OF THE SANAHIN MONASTERY COMPLEX WITH THE
CUTAWAY PERSPECTIVE SHOWING ONE OF THE PORTICOS
AND THE CUPOLA OF THE HERMIT SANCTUM.

TWO OF THE MULTICOLUMN DECORATED PILLARS OF THE MONASTERY LIBRARY

THE MONASTERY WAS AN IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL
LEARNING CENTER DURING THE MIDDLE AGES



ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT FROM THE XTH CENTURY. WHENEVER A SACRED
BOOK WOULD FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. THE ARMENIANS WOULD
LAMENT THE FACT AND THINK OF A WAY TO 'LIBERATE THE BOOK.'
[LIT. 'AZATEL GERUTENĒ']. ARMENIANS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE WOULD
PITCH IN AND GIVE ANY AND ALL WEALTH THAT THEY POSSESSED IN ORDER
TO SAVE THE BOOK FROM OBLITERATION.

...THE UNSURPASSED RICHNESS AND BEAUTY OF ARMENIAN
GOLD-SHEATHED  ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS...

CHASHOTS [1286] MATENADARAN MS NO. 979. BASIL OF CAESAREA. P. 7a.

CHASHOTS [1286] MATENADARAN MS NO. 979. TITLE PAGE OF THE DISCOURSE
OF THE BASIL OF CAESAREA. P. 6b.

CHASHOTS [1286] MATENADARAN MS NO. 979. TITLE PAGE OF THE
CELEBRATION OF THE APPARITION OF CHRIST P. 10a.

XIIITH CENTURY GOSPEL OF EIGHT ILLUMINISTS. MATENADARAN MS NO. 7651.
TITLE PAGE OF THE GOSPEL OF MARK. P. 84a.

XIIITH CENTURY GOSPEL OF EIGHT ILLUMINISTS. MATENADARAN MS NO. 7651.
PAGE WITH MINIATURE OF THE WEDDING FEAST PREACH. P. 61b.

G E N E R A L   P L A N   O F   T H E   H A Ł A R C I N   C O M P L E X.

THE SOLEMN GRACE OF THE CHURCH OF ST. HṚIPSIMĒ [614]
WITH THE TRADITIONAL PYRAMIDAL-CONIC DOME OF THE
ARMANI MASTER BUILDERS.

G E N E R A L   P L A N   O F   T H E   S A N A H I N   C O M P L E X.

SPITAKAVOR. WESTERN ENTRANCE TO THE CHURCH OF THE VIRGIN.
PENTAGONAL MOTIF WITHIN MARKED POINT IN THE CENTER EXTENDS
INTO THE FAÇADE OF SPITAKAVOR. PILLARS SUPPORT THE ARCH THAT
IS THE GATEWAY TO THE SACRED PORTAL [VIRGIN MARY/VULVA/WORMHOLE].
RELIEF FIGURES OF GURGEN AND SMBAT BAGRATUNI ON THE EAST FAÇADE OF
SANAHIN'S CHURCH OF THE HOLY SAVIOR'S SANCTUARY [966-977].

THE OLD MEDIEVAL ARMENIAN CASTLE IN KAMENETZ-PODOLSK, UKRAINE.
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF ARMENIANS FLED THE SELJUK INVASIONS IN
THE XITH CENTURY [ESPECIALLY AFTER THE FALL OF ANI IN 1064] AND
FOUND REFUGE IN OTHER PARTS OF EASTERN EUROPE THAT WERE
STILL NOT OCCUPIED BY THE TURKS.

As one eyewitness and historian of those times, Aristakēs Lastiverçi lamented that the great depository of Armenian Manuscripts in the Church of Tat'ev, in the Siwnik' ašxarh had been burned to the ground, the fire forever vanquishing more than ten thousand priceless books. We can only imagine what scientific and cultural knowledge was lost as a result of the destruction of Armenia's libraries and centers of learning.

GOSPEL IN ERKAT‛AGIR [1266]. MATENADARAN MS NO. 5458.

Many Armenians facing the unending onslaught of the nomads, often with their princely lords began to migrate westward and resettled in Armenia Minor and Cilician Armenia.

THE ARMENIAN SIGN OF INFINITI / ETERNITY
THE FOUR INTERSECTING CIRCLES [2 HORIZONTAL AND 2 VERTICAL]
COMPLETE THE SACRED FORM OF THE TWO INTERSECTING
CIRCLES AND THEIR UNIQUE GENERATIVE MALE-FEMALE PROPERTIES