The Armenians [antikvár]

Foreword F ^ or some years the chester beatty library has had the pleasure of working with Professor Michael and Dr Nira Stone to prepare a new assessment of its Armenian Collection. This was made necessary by the passage of time which had brought to light new information as well as by the new acquisitions made by Sir Chester Beatty since he commissioned Sirarpie Der Nersessian to write her distinguished catalogue of his holdings (1958). In this short survey of Armenian history and culture written for the general reader, we publish for the first time a list of the material not included in Der Nersessian's great work. Michael and Nira Stone will extend this survey of our Armenian material in a scholarly publication which is in preparation. This is one of the projects which the Library is pursuing in the spirit of its founder, to ensure that knowledge about its collections is made available to both the scholarly and lay audience. The history of the Armenian people is one which should resonate with an Irish audience - as they were the first great people outside the Roman Empire in the East to convert to Christianity, so we were the first in the West, although a century or so later. In the development of a rich culture of the manuscript arts and in the appearance in both lands of interesting sculptural traditions which diverged from the norms of the former Roman lands, there are tendencies which have often tempted people, probably unwisely, to believe that there were ancient and direct links between Ireland and Armenia. Links there might well have been through encounters on mainland Europe between churchmen and pilgrims. Both peoples were scattered across the globe in modern diasporas. By the fortunes of history, we are charged with the care of a small but important part of the Armenian heritage which we must continue to cherish as if our own. This libellus, little book, is the first step in our renewed commitment to bringing the richness of Armenian culture to our audiences at home and abroad. Michael Ryan Director and Librarian The Chester Beatty Library