Gospel book

Accession number: 
MS M.620
Title: 
Gospel book
Created: 
Dǎsirkʹ, Armenia, 13th century.
Binding: 
Traditional Armenian binding (upper cover only); perhaps 14th-century stamped brown leather (probably calf) over wooden board; blind-tooled stepped-cross centerpiece; blue cotton or linen tabby-weave textile doublure; in beige buckram case.
Credit: 
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), 1917.
Description: 
298 leaves (2 columns, 15 lines), bound : paper, ill. ; 305 x 235 mm
Provenance: 
Made for Baron Dawitʻ (who may perhaps be identified with Dawitʻ, son of Grigor Shotʻorkantsʻ, and whose name appers in inscriptions on monastic edifices in northern Armenia during the years 1210-1236); fell into enemy hands, and rescued by Amirbēk in the 13th century; later belonged to a certain Sultansha (also in the 13th century); purchased by J.P. Morgan (1867-1943) from P. Tonapetean (P. Tonapetian) in 1917.
Notes: 

Ms. Gospel book; possibly written and illuminated in the 13th century in Dashirkʻ, in the province of Gugarkʻ, Greater Armenia, near what is now the Georgian border.
The place of origin for this manuscript is referenced in Morgan sources as Dashirkʻ and Dashirck. Sanjian (1976, p. 510) uses Dăsirkʻ. The Index of Christian Art database uses the name form Dăskirk.
The manuscript lacks a colophon.
Decoration: 4 full-page miniatures, 9 illuminated canon tables, 3 illuminated incipit pages; marginal and initial ornament throughout.

Script: 
bolorgir (text) and erkatʻagir (display script)
Language: 
Armenian
Century: 
Classification: