The “Matenadaran” Mesrop Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts houses a collection of approximately 23,000 manuscripts, fragments and talismans. The Depository is equipped with modern storage facilities and contains a diverse range of materials, including:
a) Armenian essential manuscripts, b) the latest Armenian manuscripts, c) Armenian fragments, d) Armenian talismans, e) Arabic script manuscripts, f) Arabic script talismans, g) foreign language manuscripts, and h) foreign language fragments categorized by language.
Each manuscript has a main card, and the Institute has created author alphabetical lists for various subjects, including historiography, philosophy, grammar, geography, cosmology, medicine, alchemy, fiction (verse and prose), as well as lists of materials included in Charentirs (Homilies) and Treasuries. The Institute also keeps a list of ritual registers (Synaxary, Mashtots, etc.).
Auxiliary collections such as microfilms, photocopies, slides, and out-of-print manuscript lists from Matenadaran and other places are also stored in the Depository.
The Depository is located on the second floor of the academic building of Matenadaran and has an internal reading room where original manuscripts are provided to readers with special permission.
The manuscripts are preserved under perfect conditions thanks to modern fire protection and thermo-stabilization systems.
Head of the Depository of Manuscripts, David Ghazaryan
Ph.D. in Arts
Phone: +374 (010) 513054, extension: 1-29