Bookvica

[SPELLS] Hmail [i.e. The Collection of Spells]

Item #2159

Manuscript in scroll. [Tiflis, Georgia], 1806. 720 m in length. 11 cm in width.

In Armenian with a colophon in Georgian. A bit from the beginning of the scroll is missing.
Composed of 21 paper pieces glued together. Text written in one column, book initials. Tears and wears of the scroll, with minor marginal losses, generally preserved quite well, recent restoration to the beginning.

The tradition of hmail amulets in Armenian culture dates back to the XVth century (the earliest known example is from 1428). They were created in different parts of Armenia and abroad and were made for the travelers. Usually the scroll consisted of the prayers and spells, with some elements of ‘folk Christianity’ as well.
Amulet tradition was quite strong in the Armenian community in XVII-XVIII centuries, however not so many examples of it have survived to our day due to the format and the constant use. The earliest known scroll that is preserved in full length is from 1478 and doesn’t have any illustrations as is often the case.
The longest ones that are preserved in Matenadaran in Yerevan are not preserved in full. Also we have to add that 50% of all the scrolls in existence today lack some fragments.
The interesting attribute of our scroll is that Geographically it could be tied to the Armenian community in Tiflis - judging by the provenance, the language and the fact that the colophon is written in Georgian at the end of the scroll. In 1806 Armenians were already composing the majority of the population of Tiflis, the census of 1803 showing approximately 14000 Armenians present.
As the immigration from India and Turkey of Armenians as well as from other parts of the Russian Empire continued later in the century Armenians played a significant part in Tbilisi’s history under the Russian Imperial Rule.

Rare as all bilingual Caucasian manuscripts.

Price: $3,500.00

Status: On Hold