The Echmiadzin Gospels (

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , ; ; sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia, as well as one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerev ...

Matenadaran The Matenadaran (), officially the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, is a museum, repository of manuscripts, and a research institute in Yerevan, Armenia. It is the world's largest repository of Armenian manuscripts. It was establ ...

, MS. 2374, formerly Etchmiadzin Ms. 229) is a 10th-century

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

Gospel Book A Gospel Book, Evangelion, or Book of the Gospels ( Greek: , ) is a codex or bound volume containing one or more of the four Gospels of the Christian New Testament – normally all four – centering on the life of Jesus of Nazareth and the roo ...

produced in 989 at the Monastery of Bgheno-Noravank in Syunik. Up to the 10th century, eight dated Armenian Gospel manuscripts have survived:

the Gospels of Queen Mlké ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The' ...

(851-862) (Venice № 1144/86), the Lazarian Gospels (887) (

№ 6200), The Gospels of Ashot Sparapet (909) (

№ 6202), Dsurghut Gospels (974) (

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

), the Sanasarian Gospels (985) (

№ 7735), Sk'antchelagorts Gospels (988) (

№ 8906), Ejmiadsin Gospels (989) (

№ 2374) and

the Gospels of the Translators The Gospels of the Translators or The Four Gospels is one of oldest Armenian illuminated manuscripts dated 966 or 996 and is kept in Baltimore. Up to the 10th century eight dated Armenian manuscripts have survived: the Gospels of Queen Mlké (851- ...

(966-996) (Walters Art Gallery).

The book

The manuscript has 232 extant leaves which measure approximately 32 by 25.5 cm. The book was made under the patronage of Bishop Stepanos and written by the scribe Hovhanes. The binding of the book is made of two carved

ivory Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and Tooth, teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mamm ...

plaques, probably of Byzantine manufacture of the 6th century. Bound into the book are two leaves (fols. 228–229) with miniatures dating to the late 6th—early 7th century (so-called 'Final Four Miniatures').

Eusebian Canons

The art historian Carl Nordenfalk considered the Eusebian canon tables in the Echmiadzin Gospels (fols. 1–5, including the Eusebian letter) to be the best representative of the original table design (column arrangement, pattern of frame, ornament, etc.) developed in

Caesarea Palaestina Caesarea () also Caesarea Maritima, Caesarea Palaestinae or Caesarea Stratonis, was an ancient and medieval port city on the coast of the eastern Mediterranean, and later a small fishing village. It was the capital of Roman Judaea, Syria Pala ...

at the time of

Eusebius Eusebius of Caesarea (30 May AD 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilius, was a historian of Christianity, exegete, and Christian polemicist from the Roman province of Syria Palaestina. In about AD 314 he became the bishop of Caesarea Maritima. ...

(1st half of the 4th century). Taking into account the Caesarean type of the Armenian text of the Gospels, Nordenfalk concluded that the Echmiadzin Gospels were copied from a Caesarean codex equipped with the Eusebian canon tables.

References

{{Reflist *Nordenfalk, C. "Die spätantiken Kanontafeln". Gothenburg, 1938.

External links

Index of Armenian Art: ManuscriptsMatenadaran, Ms. 2374, Etchmiadzin Gospelsthe 'Final Four Miniatures'
(short description, page images) 989 10th-century biblical manuscripts Armenian books History of religion in Armenia Gospel Books 10th-century illuminated manuscripts