by David Zenian
Yerevan -- Armenia has two central banks. The first is where money is kept, while the other protects the roots of the nation -- more than 16,000 ancient manuscripts that tell the history and development of the Armenian people.
The "other" central bank is the Matenadaran, first perceived as a repository of Armenian heritage as early as the fifth century, and gradually built into its current structure of a meticulously constructed institution that traces every aspect and development of Armenian life.
Armenia has always been an important part of western Asia, and unlike many countries in the region, it has survived centuries of occupation, persecution and hardships, often because of its Christian faith which forms the cornerstone of the Matenadaran's massive collection.
"For the Armenian nation, these treasures are as important as the Dead Sea scrolls. These manuscripts tell us where we came from, and what we were. They are a living testament to our history, development and heritage," Matenadaran's director, Sen Arevshadian said.
The concept of an organized collection of manuscripts dates back to the early years that followed the adoption of Christianity as the state religion of Armenia in 301 A.D and the creation of the Armenian alphabet by Mesrop Mashtots in 405 A.D.
The first repository, or matenadaran, was established in the 5th century at Vagharshapat, the then capital of Armenia, and followed by another at Holy Etchmiadzin, the seat of the Catholicos -- Supreme Patriarch -- of the Armenian Church.
Over the centuries thousands of works by Armenian historians, philosophers, mathematicians, jurists, poets, miniaturists, geographers, astronomers, doctors and scientists were meticulously preserved in monasteries and other places of learning in Armenia.
Wars, occupations and other calamities have destroyed many of these treasured works. During and in the aftermath of the Genocide of Armenians, the Ottoman Turks burned down monasteries, churches, schools and libraries, destroying thousands of unique Armenian manuscripts.
But what has survived over the centuries paints an awesome picture of Armenian history, literature, culture, music, science and faith.
The first serious post-Genocide attempt to save the remnants of the Armenian manuscripts and consolidate the wealth under one roof was made only months after the communist takeover of Armenia.
In February 1921, the Cultural-Historical Institute was established, which for the next two decades not only carried out research on the existing material, but also started the arduous task of gathering manuscripts from the various regions of Armenia and Armenian communities in the Soviet Union.
In 1939, the authorities in Soviet Armenia moved the Etchmiadzin collection of manuscripts to Yerevan, and in the years to come, began work on a special building to house these national treasures.
The present-day Matenadaran, on the slopes of one of Yerevan's picturesque hills overlooking the city center was completed in 1957, and followed in 1959 by the establishment and incorporation of a special research institute devoted to the preservation and study of the manuscripts.
Years later, climate and humidity-controlled underground vaults were added to protect the old manuscripts.
Funds provided by the Armenian General Benevolent Union Life President Alex Manoogian Cultural Fund have been used in the past few years to equip the Matenadaran and its vaults with independent electrical generators to safeguard the facilities against Yerevan's chronic city-wide power shortages and along with a microfilming facility, an elaborate computer system to document the entire collection -- thus making it easily accessible to researchers.
Money from the same fund is also used to augment the local currency salaries of the matenadaran staff of historians and scholars.
Today, dozens of Armenian scholars are busy assimilating and helping spread the wealth of information contained in the more than 16,731 manuscripts which deal not only with the various stages of development in Armenian life, but also Armenia's relations and inter-actions with its neighbors and other nations over the centuries.
The oldest written account of the Armenian people is found on parchment remnants dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries, followed by a 7th century complete Gospel and a collection of scientific and historical-philosophical works written in the year 981 A.D.
The largest Armenian manuscript in the world, on display at the Matenadaran, is the Homilies of Mush, (measuring 55.3 x 70.5 centimeters and weighing 27.5 kilograms) -- a collection of the biographies of saints, facts from their lives, odes, sermons of a number of Armenian clergymen, as well as works from Armenian historians of that era.
The masterpiece, which was written in 1200, fell into enemy hands in 1202, bought back for 4000 silver coins and kept in the Holy Apostles Monastery in Mush until the 1915 Genocide when it was saved by two Armenian peasant women and carried to Armenia.
Also unique in the Matenadaran collection are manuscripts that serve as primary sources on the history of Armenia and its neighboring countries. Among them are works by the 5th century writer Agathangelos on the history of the struggle of Christianity against paganism in Armenia and its final victory in 301 A.D., Movses Khorenatsi's History of Armenians which covers the period starting with mythological times up to the 5th century; and Yegishe's History of Vartan and the War of the Armenians which tells the story of the heroic Battle of Avarair by the Armenians against Persian domination.
The Arab, Seljuk, Byzantine and Mongolian invasions of Armenia are recorded in elaborate manuscripts by the 8th century historian Ghevond, the 11th century historian Aristakes Lastivertsi and the 13th century historian Giragos Gandzaketsi.
While works on Armenian history, philosophy and religion have a special significance, manuscripts on non-Armenian topics also add to the weight of the collection.
These include old Armenian translations of the Categories by Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) ; the Treatise on the Art of Rhetoric by Theon of Alexandria (1st century A.D); the Art of Grammar of Dionysius Thrax (170-90 B.C), and many others by ancient authors like philosopher Zeno (264 B.C); Philo of Alexandria (1st century A.D.); and Eusebius of Caesarea (260-339 A.D), whose works have survived thanks to their Armenian translations.
The Matenadaran is not only rich with its collection of more than 16,000 ornate and well preserved ancient manuscripts, but also a collection of over 100,000 medieval and modern documents which includes church archives, pastoral letters, decrees from Persian Shahs and Turkish Sultans, Russian Tsars and thousands of legal and other historical documents which are available to scholars from around the world.
"What we have here is for the world to share," says Matenadaran Director Arevshadian.
"We have very strong relations with many centers of study in France, Germany, Italy, Britain, the United States, and other countries. Everything in our collection is on microfilm and slides and available to anyone who wants to do research," he said.
A selection from the Matenadaran's priceless manuscripts will be on display in Paris until the end of October at the Bibliothèque Nationale. Another collection will be seen at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in November and December and in Germany early next year.
Also in the works is the imminent publication of only 280 copies of the famous 6th century A.D. Etchmiadzin Bible which will be printed by an Austrian company and sold for 7,000 dollars each.
"Armenians have survived throughout the centuries because they not only absorbed the intellectual wealth of the world around them, but also shared their own wealth with others.
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