One of the most beloved names in Matenadaran culture is Ruben Galchyan, a cartographer, geographer, and electrical engineer. He has given lectures in the USA, Europe, Iran, and Armenia and has produced numerous works on the history of Armenia, the Caucasus, and cartography.
Growing up in a family of immigrants, the future scientist had a great interest in Armenian history. A graduate from Aston University, Birmingham, had already collected his first collection of maps in 1976.
Galchyan examined significant maps of Armenia from antiquity to the present, beginning with the earliest, a sixth-century BC clay tile from Babylon. Other notable maps of Armenia included those created by Greek and Alexandrian cartographers, early Christian, Islamic, and Ottoman maps, and rare European examples. To compile the rare cartographic treasures, Ruben Galchyan chose maps from the libraries and museums of Oxford, Manchester, and several Italian cities, as well as from the British, French National, Austrian, Munich City, and US Congress libraries.
“Armenians have continuously lived in the Armenian Highlands and neighbouring regions for more than 2,500 years,” the expert affirms. Maps, manuscripts, and papers from many eras all display it. Armenia is also listed on portolan maps meant for use in maritime contexts.”
In 2013, Ruben Galchyan made his first gift to Matenadaran. His generosity is astounding: he donated 257 items to the archive fund, of which 238 are maps; the other items were graphics, images, and press releases; he also gave the library 646 names of books in Armenian and other foreign languages, dictionaries, atlases, and five antique volumes from the 1800s.
Thanks to the renowned scientist, a large portion of the global cartographic legacy is preserved in Matenadaran and is highly valuable to scholars.
