Miscellaneous Armenian manuscripts in the Bodleian Library

This material is held atBodleian Library, University of Oxford

  • Reference
    • GB 161 MSS. Arm. b. 1-4, c. 1-5, d. 1-26, e. 1-40, f. 1-29, g. 1-3, 4 (R), 5-12
  • Dates of Creation
    • 12th-20th century
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
    • Armenian.
  • Physical Description
    • 116 shelfmarks

Scope and Content

Armenian manuscripts on history, language, philosophy and theology, 12th-20th century. The earliest dated Armenian manuscript in the Library is an antiphonary of 1296 (MS. Arm. f. 22).

Administrative / Biographical History

The manuscripts were obtained from several sources, including Frederick Cornwallis Conybeare (1856-1924), Armenian scholar, and Joseph Bayan (fl 19th century). See the Dictionary of National Biography for details on Conybeare.

Access Information

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures see http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk).

Acquisition Information

Acquired between ?1605 and 1984. The manuscripts were mainly purchased from Hannan, Watson & Co. between 1897 and 1900, several were also bought from Joseph Bayan, 1882-4, and F.C. Conybeare, 1892-1900.

Note

Collection level description created by Susan Thomas, Department of Special Collections and Western Manuscripts.

Other Finding Aids

Some of the manuscripts are in Falconer Madan, et al., A summary catalogue of western manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford which have not hitherto been catalogued in the Quarto series, with references to the oriental and other manuscripts (7 vols. in 8 [vol. II in 2 parts], Oxford, 1895-1953; reprinted, with corrections in vols. I and VII, Munich, 1980), vols. II, V-VI, nos. 3008, 8741, 27778, 29244, 29378-9, 29492, 29771, 30122, 30845, 31446, 31449-50, 31601, 32489-90, 32493, 32783-9, 32810-29, 32904-5, 32912-13, 31447-8, 31600, 32491-2, 32781-2, 32790-809, 32906-11, 32914-15, 33609.

The manuscripts are also summarily described in the card catalogue, arranged by language, located in the Oriental Reading Room.

Fuller descriptions for most of the manuscripts are in Sukias Baronian and F.C. Conybeare Catalogue of the Armenian Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library (Oxford, 1918).

Related Material

Armenian manuscripts are also contained in the oriental collections of Archbishop William Laud (MSS. Laud Or.), Thomas Marshall (MSS. Marshall Or.), Edward Pococke (MSS. Pococke) and Narcissus Marsh (MSS. Marsh).