Piecing together the history of an 18th-century printed Armenian Prayer Scroll: The Study of Cultural Context and Manufacturing Techniques

The use of prayer scrolls along with other religious art and literature has played a significant role in Armenian culture over several centuries. However, relatively little is known about the materials and techniques used to construct medieval illuminated religious Armenian texts and the risks involved for their preservation. To bridge this gap in our knowledge, a privately owned and heavily used eighteenth century Armenian prayer scroll has been investigated using a holistic and integrated approach combining humanistic and scientific research. Part of the text along with the miniatures has been interpreted and studied, and a technical investigation applying non-invasive and nondestructive techniques including analytical photography, fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Raman spectromicroscopy (μRS) was employed for the characterization of pigments, colorants, ink, and the paper used to construct the prayer scroll. This study provides an overall understanding of the constituent materials, printing technique, religious significance, use, as well as the traditional practices in Armenian culture in the eighteenth century. Furthermore, the identification of the colorants/pigments and inks, manufacturing process and an in depth investigation of condition of this prayer scroll, helps inform preventive conservation measures ensuring the preservation of this important document