Armenian Kingdom Research Articles

A Note on the Hülegü Khan Period Coins in the Inventory of the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations

After Möngke took over the Great Mongol Khanate, Hülegü, who was sent to the west, that is, to the Iranian geography in order to consolidate and continue the Mongolian conquests, dominated the region in a short time and established a Mongolian offshoot state which would later be called the Ilkhanids. Ruling over a vast geography, Hülegü expanded the borders of the state from Oxus to the Euphrates, from the Caucasus to Baluchistan. In this geography generally called the Islamic geography, there were vassal states such as the Seljuks of Rum, the Georgian Kingdom, the Empire of Trebizond, and the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia under the Mongolian rule. When Hülegü arrived in Iran in 1254 and 1255, he had coins cut bearing the name of his brother, Möngke, whereas he minted coins for himself using the title “Ilkhan” in 1256. The state he founded was called the Ilkhanids, in reference to the title “Ilkhan” used by Hülegü. When the Mongols came to Iran, they immediately adopted the local money minting methods and style, even though they had not yet converted to Islam. Accordingly, the Ilkhanids had first their coins minted entirely in Arabic script in this geography where Islam was dominant. Moreover, it is observed that the Ilkhanid coins were heavily featured with phrases referring to the beliefs of the local population in order to ensure the support of the local population, such as the first sentence of Islam, the word tawhid. Furthermore, it is seen that since the very beginning of their rule, phrases such as the first sentence of Islam, kalima-i tawhid, referring to the beliefs of the local Muslims, were extensively included in the Ilkhanid coins to secure the support of the local people. However, it has been demonstrated that Hülegü minted coins not only reflecting the Islamic notions and concerns but also his own beliefs, traditions and thoughts under the influence of Islam. Until his death in 1265, Hülegü intensively continued getting coins minted thanks to the rich treasures he captured from the regions spreading a wide geography. The coin patterns he created and formed were used and developed by the later Ilkhanids. This study has not only aimed to examine but also catalogue the 16 Ilkhan Hülegü coins registered in the inventory of the Anatolian Civilisations Museum.

Механизмы конструирования национальной истории и исторической памяти в «Истории Армении» Мовсеса Хоренаци

The creation of national histories is considered to be a characteristic feature of modernity, associated with the processes of creating national states. These narratives intend to trace the origins of the nation to mythologized antiquity and legitimize the existence of the nation-state. Meanwhile, “History of Armenia” by Movses Khorenatsi shows that similar narrative practices could have arisen even in the early Middle Ages. It is assumed that in addition to the historical context, the principles of historical narration and semantization apply, which give meaning to the events described. Historical memory represents the past by some semiotic tools: narratives, symbols, myths, etc. Thus, the first systematic history of Armenia is intended to reveal the genesis of the Armenian people and to create a narrative that makes it possible to trace the history of Armenian kings and princes and compare them with the data of the Old Testament, up to the Tower of Babel. Due to the lack of written sources, the historiographer relies on myths and legends. Metatexts (arguments about the reliability of sources, the goals of writing history, the historiographer's priorities in the selection of events) allow us to identify the principles of discourse construction. The historical context of the work (the times of the decline of the Armenian kingdom) predetermines the metanarrative pattern (“paradise lost”) and the tragic pathos of the narrative. The “History” ends with “Lamentation,” and the end of the narrative marks the end of the History.

The Role of Holy Roman Empire and Papacy in Declaration of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia

The Role of Holy Roman Empire and Papacy in Declaration of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia

On the Participation of Armenians in the Mongol Ilkhanate’s Invasion of Syria (1259–1260)

Abstract This study examines the participation of Cilician Armenians in the Mongol Ilkhanate’s Syrian invasions in 1259–1260. Drawing upon data from mediaeval sources and various perspectives in scholarly literature, this paper addresses the following key questions: 1. Where were the troops of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and their allied countries consolidated? 2. To what extent did the troops of the Armenian King Het‘um I join forces with the Mongols? The inquiry also presents the specific details of the capture of Syrian cities and explores the likelihood of Armenian troops’ involvement in these operations. In the final section, the paper delves into the events surrounding the famous Battle of Ain-Jalut and examines the potential participation of Armenians in this pivotal conflict, in which the allies suffered defeat and were subsequently compelled to retreat.

Exploring mudbrick architecture and its re-use in Artaxata, Armenia, during the 1st millennium BC. A multidisciplinary study of earthen architecture in the Armenian Highlands.

Mudbrick constructions are extremely common in ancient western Asia, including the 1st millennium structures of the southern Caucasus and Armenian highlands. However, in the Caucasus the geoarchaeological study of these materials to provide insight into building practices and social structure is a topic little researched, especially when focusing on the longue durée. Artashat/Artaxata (Ararat region, Armenia) was the capital of the Armenian Kingdom of the Artaxiads, founded in the eighties of the 2nd century BC, but even before this the site was occupied in the Chalcolithic period, (ca. 5200-3500 BC), Early Iron Age (ca. 1200-900 BC) and in the Urartian period (ca. 800-600 BC) as well. All the previous occupation phases showed communities that made extensive use of earthen constructions as determined during past and recent archaeological excavations. This multidisciplinary study seeks to examine mudbrick architecture as a proxy for environmental and social interactions during the 1st millennium BC combining geoarchaeology, archaeobotany and building archaeology. We analyzed changes and continuities in architectural form and practices, alongside reconstruction of technological and social processes, to identify issues of raw material procurement, attestation of re-use, and consistency of building practices. The results of the geoarchaeological analysis of the earthen building materials used in different parts of the ancient city point to a re-use of materials over time.

Հայոց ինքնուրույն թագավորության վերականգնման մտադրությունը Վարդանի և Վասակի ծրագրերում / Intention to restore the Armenian independent kingdom in the plans of Vardan and Vasak

The leading national idea is the idea of national unity in the fight against the enemy. Demirchyan sees it as the guarantee of the victories of the Armenian people, making it the cornerstone of the novel "Vardanank". Demirchyan tries to present the fact of the reestablishment of the Armenian kingdom in the intentions of Vardan and Vasak, as witnessed by contemporaries, through a series of artistic images on a realistic basis, and to contrast Vardan with a worthy opponent. Two statesmen and political figures are opposing each other, and Demirchyan clearly distinguishes the positions of Vasak and Vardan from the very beginning. One tries to win time by deceit, cunning, intrigues, agrees even to apostasy, just to save his position as governor; the other understands the essence of the political demand of the king of aryans (to renounce Christianity and adopt the Persian religion), the mortal danger of losing his homeland and freedom, assimilation and extinction of the nation. The writer does not try to rehabilitate Vasak, he rejects the path he has chosen. Who is right, Vardan or Vasak? This question has a centuries-old history for armenians and has always been relevant. Demirchyan wrote "Vardanank" with the aim to prove that the only correct way was the way of Vardan and Vardanaids – to defend the independence of the motherland in the united national resistance, to die but not to submit to the enemy, and this aim is realised with the help of psychologically and artistically convincing images.

Translated Selection from Hrach῾ya T῾amrazyan’s Գրիգոր Նարեկացի եւ Նարեկյան Դպրոցը Grigor Narekats῾i and the School of Narek (Volume 2: pps. 53–63): Khosrov Andzewats῾i’s work Commentary on the Hours as a Pedagogical Program and its Role in the Formation of the Academic-Educational Curriculum of the School of Narek

Translated Selection from Hrach῾ya T῾amrazyan’s Գրիգոր Նարեկացի եւ Նարեկյան Դպրոցը Grigor Narekats῾i and the School of Narek (Volume 2: pps. 53–63): Khosrov Andzewats῾i’s work Commentary on the Hours as a Pedagogical Program and its Role in the Formation of the Academic-Educational Curriculum of the School of Narek Translated with an Introduction by Christopher Sheklian Introduction Life and Work of H.H. T῾amrazyan No Armenian scholar has done more to place the literary works of St. Gregory of Narek (Grigor Narekats῾i) in its larger context than Hrach῾ya T῾amrazyan. In a series of studies spanning three decades, the late director of the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, known as the Matenadaran, argued for the idea of the “school of Narek.” T῾amrazyan’s first academic monograph, published in 1986, described the life and works of Anania of Narek, the influential first abbot of the monastery and the first cousin of St. Gregory’s mother. Anania, alongside a certain biblical exegete Peter, founded the monastery with the support of King Gagik I, the Artsruni ruler of the Armenian kingdom of Vaspurakan. After his monograph on the abbot of the monastery, T῾amrazyan continued to study the monastery and its notable teachers and writers, especially Anania, Grigor, and Gregory’s father Khosrov Andzewats῾i. Along with the bishop and historian Ukhtanēs Sebastats῾i, who also studied at the monastery, these three are the major figures associated with the monastery, especially in the important moment around the turn of the last millennium. In 1999, with the publication of T῾amrazyan’s The School of Narek it became possible “to speak of a veritable school of Narek.”1 [End Page 141] Throughout the rest of his life, T῾amrazyan published studies relating to various aspects of the writers associated with that school, notably its most famous monastic/monk, St. Gregory of Narek. In addition to a biographical work, The Life of St. Gregory of Narek, which has been translated into French, T῾amrazyan explored the reception of Neoplatonism in the thought of St. Gregory.2 The selection translated here originally comes from his 1999 work The School of Narek. It was reprinted as part of his three-volume magnum opus Gregory of Narek and the School of Narek, which gathered and rearranged much of his previous work to provide a comprehensive account of the “school” of Narek.3 The third volume was published after his death by his daughter Arusyak T῾amrazyan. These three volumes solidified Hrach῾ya T῾amrazyan’s reputation as the preeminent contemporary Armenian scholar of the Monastery of Narek, building not only on his earlier dissertations and monographs, but also his extensive work as editor of the definitive editions of the works of the authors associated with the monastery for the monumental Matenagirk῾ Hayots῾, the series of Classical Armenian texts, which Abraham Terian describes as a “‘Patrologia Armena.’”4 T῾amrazyan sifted through all the texts attributed to the various authors named Anania in the Armenian literary tradition, presenting a coherent body of work from the pen of Anania of Narek. He likewise argued for the authenticity of several works attributed to Gregory of Narek, including them in the Matenagirk῾ Hayots῾. Hrach῾ya Hranti T῾amrazyan was born in Yerevan, on 5 December 1953. He graduated from the N. Kupskaya (currently Nikol Aghbalyan) High School in 1971, and from the Philological Department of the Yerevan State University in 1976. He worked at the Mashtots Mate-nadaran from 1977 to 1988, during which time he defended his thesis, “Anania of Narek and Tenth-century Armenian Poetry.” In 1999, he earned the degree of Doctor of Philological Studies with his doctoral [End Page 142] dissertation, “The School of Narek.” He worked for a time as the editor of “Nairi” Publications, as the head of the publishing bureau of the Republic of Armenia, and again at “Nairi” as its executive director before returning to the Matenadaran. From 2007 until his death in 2016, he served as the Director of the Matenadaran. During that time, he implemented new and exciting programs, increased the staff, and left an impressive legacy at the largest depository of Armenian manuscripts in...

ՌՈԲԵՐՏ Վ. ԷԴՎԱՐԴՍԻ ՀԱՅԿԱԿԱՆ ԵՎ ՀԱՐԱԿԻՑ ՄԻՆՉՀԵՏՄԻՋՆԱԴԱՐՅԱՆ ԺԱՄԱՆԱԿԱՇՐՋԱՆԻ ԴՐԱՄՆԵՐԻ ՀԱՎԱՔԱԾՈՒՆ՝ ԿԻԼԻԿԻԱՅՈՒՄ ԳՏԱԾՈՆԵՐԻ ՎԱՅՐԵՐԻ ՓԱՍՏԱԳՐՎԱԾ ՏՎՅԱԼՆԵՐՈՎ (ԱՆԳԼ.) / THE ROBERT W. EDWARDS COLLECTION OF ARMENIAN AND OTHER COINS THROUGH THE POST-MEDIEVAL PERIOD WITH OCUMENTED FIND SITES IN CILICIA

In addition to some specific conclusions reported for each site, a few general remarks are summarized here. The summary of these coins appears in Table 1. The lack of coins of the Armenian barons deserves to be pointed out, although, given their overall rarity, it does not contribute any new information. It is hoped that formal excavations at, and future finds associated with, one or more of the early Roupenid fortresses will one day shed light on which of those they used for their mints. It appears that the coinage of King Levon I did not circulate in the Hetoumid lands of northwestern Cilicia, as none of his coinage appears among the coins from Lampron or Baberon, although they may have reached those territories after their reconciliation. The large number of coins of King Hetoum I deserve a special mention. He was the longest reigning king of the Armenian kingdom in Cilicia, ruling in a period of power and economic success, which explains his very abundant coinage, issued in both silver and copper. However, the fact that his coins are found in such prevalence in even this small sampling gives yet another measure of the wealth of the kingdom during his reign. Additionally, this distribution of his coinage would support the idea of a uniform, standardized circulation of centrally issued currency throughout the kingdom. The find of a unique French feudal coin at Kalası may constitute proof of the path taken by some of the participants of the First Crusade while crossing the Amanus Mts. in 1097. The two Dutch silver coins found at Partsrpert could indicate links to the Armenian trade guilds that operated from England and the Netherlands through Armenia and Iran to India, as Armenian populations are known to have persisted in that area through the post-medieval period and until the 1915 Genocide. Finally, the recent re-attribution of the kardez type with the king seated cross-legged, from Hetoum II to Hetoum I, is further confirmed by the specimen found at Selevgia (coin no. 71).

ՀԱՅ ՀՈԳԵՎՈՐԱԿԱՆՈՒԹՅԱՆ ԴԵՐԱԿԱՏԱՐՈՒՄԸ ԿԻԼԻԿԻԱՅԻ ՀԱՅԿԱԿԱՆ ԹԱԳԱՎՈՐՈՒԹՅԱՆ ՀՌՉԱԿՄԱՆ ԵՎ ԼԵՎՈՆ ՄԵԾԱԳՈՐԾԻ՝ ԹԱԳԱՎՈՐ ՕԾՄԱՆ ՀԱՐՑՈՒՄ

The purpose of the article is to study the process of the recognition of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and the proclamation of Levon the Magnificent as king, and the role of the papal seat of Rome and the Holy Empire in it. In our work, we have set the task of highlighting the details of the process of recognition of the Kingdom of Cilicia and the role of the representatives of the papal seat. Among the methods used are the historical-analytical method and the method of analysing contemporary scientific literature. The research undertaken allowed to draw the following conclusions. The establishment of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia took place under difficult international conditions, in which the Armenian clergy of Cilicia played an active role. The visits of Armenian delegations to Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, and a number of Western European countries, as well as the position and steps taken by the Armenian clergy regarding the change of religious issues, played an important role in the creation of the Armenian state. The role played by Archbishop Nerses of Lambrona was of particular importance. Levon B. Rubinyan was apointed the Armenian King of Cilicia by the representative of the Roman Catholic Church, Archbishop Konrad Wittelsbach of Mainz, as well as by Armenian Catholicos Grigor Apirat. All diocesan leaders and high-ranking clergy of the Armenian state of Cilicia were present at the coronation ceremony.

Military orders and powerful women in the Christian Levant

In the Christian East, religious military orders have obviously had interactions with women in leadership roles as queens, princesses and noble women. The relationship between military orders and aristocratic women varies in relation to the power these women actually had in Latin states in the East, the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia and the Latin Empire of Constantinople including Frankish Morea. As such, we must clearly distinguish between women who ran a state or governed a fiefdom by themselves and those under the guardianship of others. This difference influences the attitudes that representatives from the orders displayed towards these noble women. In this study, we are interested in these different types of situations, such as the relationship of the military orders with women in positions of power such as the Queens of Jerusalem Melisende and Sibylla, the Queen Joanna of Naples, who was also Princess of Morea, and other important women. We also examine the very delicate diplomatic intervention by the order of the Hospital concerning the Princess of Tyre, Zapel, sister of the Armenian King, Ochin I and wife to the Governor of Cyprus, Amaury of Tyre, in order to free the King of Cyprus, a prisoner in Armenia. For queens and princesses who were not independent, especially when they were young, we could determine in several cases the level of involvement of military orders in their marriage. The cases examined are representative of the wide range of types of relationships that military orders had with ladies of high social standing in the Christian East.

Pap Arsacid’s foreign policy

The article presents the historical period of the foreign policy of the reign of Pap, which is one of the most interesting and significant periods of Armenian history. Pap came to Great Armenia in the conditions of a difficult political situation, when the Persians had captured and arrested the Armenian king Arshak II, the country was destroyed by Persian invasions, a number of territories were separated from Great Armenia, and political anarchy reigned in the country. From the very beginning of his reign, the Armenian king pursued an idea, the strengthening of the state, and his every action in foreign politics was aimed at it. We can record that the Armenian king was able to: Celebrating victory in three major battles, he saved the Armenian statehood from destruction after almost seven years of struggle of the Armenian people and liberated Great Armenia from the Persian occupation. In a short time, he joined the Armenian kingdom to the remote regions, restoring the territorial integrity of the country. He tried to continue the foreign policy conducted by his father, Arshak II, by regulating relations with Rome and Persia, which would increase the international prestige of the state. Thanks to the above steps, the young Armenian ruler succeeded to raise the reputation of the Armenian kingdom in international relations, as a result of which the two neighboring superpowers took into account the interests of the Armenian kingdom, in a short period of time. Unfortunately, the internal disunity of the state did not give the Pope any chance to succeed on the external front. Moreover, these contradictions had a tragic end for the Armenian king, and Great Armenia lost its distinguished and rarely capable ruler.

Жилища средневекового города Ани. Историография и результаты исследований

The settlement of Ani is one of the most significant monuments of Eastern Christian medieval architecture, which were developing at the crossroads of cultural traditions for five centuries. Deserted at the end of the 14th–15th centuries, this large city, once the capital of the Armenian kingdom, has preserved archaeological evidence of several cultural layers. This determined the considerable interest of the researchers in the comprehensive study of the settlement of Ani, which was initiated by excavations led by N. Y. Marr, conducted in the late 19th – early decades of the 20th centuries. Residential buildings were also in the field of attention of the expedition participants. Emphasizing certain successes achieved by pre-revolutionary and Soviet historiography, the authors of the article note their natural limitations associated with the lack of new archaeological information and the long absence of the possibility to explore the already known architectural monuments in natural environment. The article proposes the periodization of the historiography of Ani dwellings, identifies and analyzes the results of studying the evolution, typology, and stylistics of the dwelling architecture of Ani, and raises questions about the degree of the elaboration and discussion of architectural issues in different types of residential quarters, streets, and buildings. The study has been realized by the grant of the Russian Science Foundation, project no. 22-18-00354, in the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (MGSU), National Research University.

Mariun

Upon the Mamluk takeover of Sis in 1375 CE, the former Queen Mariun of the Armenian state of Cilicia was taken into captivity and held first in Aleppo and then in Cairo. From there she traveled to Jerusalem, where she lived until her death. Her tomb at the Sts. James Monastery in Jerusalem is often mentioned in medieval and postmedieval texts, but the information in later historiography concerning Mariun and some of her contemporaries who survived the fall of the Armenian kingdom and lived through the fourteenth century has been subject to inaccuracies. This article considers some of these accretions and misrepresentations using textual and archaeological documentation, and reconstructs several key episodes in the life and afterlife of Mariun. The story of this remarkable noblewoman crosses the political realms of at least three Mediterranean communities—Armenian, Mamluk, and Latin—and reflects the scope of the ever-changing geopolitical complexities that continued to mark the eastern Mediterranean under Mamluk domination. Spending the finalstages of her life in exile and on pilgrimage, the former queen of Armenia appeared in the Holy City at a time when female spirituality was flourishing within self-organized monastic institutions.

Armenia and Iran: The Birth of Two Nations in Late Antiquity

This paper discusses the idea of Armenian and Iranian identity in 3rd century CE. It is proposed that the bordering region of the Armeno-Iranian world, such as that of the Siwnik‘ and its house saw matters very differently from that of the Armenian kingdom. The Sasanians in return had a vastly different view of Armenia and Georgia as political entities, and used their differences to the benefit of their empire.

THE KINGDOM OF GREATER ARMENIA DURING THE REIGN OF TIRAN ARSACID

This article aims at revealing the internal political developments of the Arsacid dynasty of Greater Armenia in the 40s of the 4th century, as well as the relations of the Armenian king Tiran with Rome and Persia, having as main target the foreign policy events. To achieve the above goal, the following tasks are at the core of the work. a) to study the foreign policy challenges of the Arsacid dynasty of Greater Armenia in the wake of the Roman-Persian conflict, b) to study the foreign and domestic policy pursued by the Armenian king Tiran. The work is written by a combined examination of facts, using the methods of historical-comparative analysis. As a result of the study, it can be argued that the external environment of the Armenian kingdom remained tense during the historical period of the kingdom of Tiran. Neighboring political units constantly threatened the security of the state. Under such conditions, Tiran adopted a flexible foreign policy. On the one hand, the Armenian king remained loyal to the Armenian-Roman allience, on the other hand, he tried to normalize relations with Persia. In domestic politics, Tiran was the real successor to Khosrov Kotak. With his policy he helped to unite the diveded country, he tried to strengthen the centrifugal power in the country.

Armenia in the conditions of Byzantine–Sasanian War of 571-591

This article examines the position of Armenia in the conditions of Byzantine–Sasanian War of 571-591. On the example of activity of Armenian dukes, the author trace the stance of Armenians on the developed conflicts, defines the role and degree of participation of Armenians in military expeditions on the side of belligerent powers. The subject of this research is activity of the representatives of Armenian ducal families in the conditions of Byzantine–Sasanian conflict. The object is the records of the Syriac historian of the VI century John of Ephesus, Armenian historical of the VII century Sebeos, and Byzantine historical of the late VIII century Theophanes the Confessor. The main conclusion of the conducted research consists in inability of Armenian Nakharar to create an independent Armenian Kingdom. Despite the favorable external conditions, caused by the Byzantine–Sasanian War, there were multiple contradictions between the Nakharar that impeded the achievement of common goal. Byzantine emperors and Persian monarchs use the lack of unity between the Armenian dukes for reaching the own goals and retention of leading positions in the region. The scientific novelty consist in comprehensive analysis of the activity of Nakharars in Western and Eastern Armenia based on the Byzantine and Armenian sources.

The role of the Bagratuni royal dynasty in preservation of ethnic identity of Armenians in the late IV – VI centuries

This article explores the establishment and retention of the ethnic consciousness of Armenians in the conditions of Persian and Byzantine dominion based on the example of the activity of Bagratuni royal dynasty. The subject of this article is the activity of the Bagratuni princely family that alongside other Armenian dynasties (Mamikonyan, Siunia, Artsruni, Amatuni) was an important actor of the political process in the region in the conditions of Byzantine-Sasanian rule. The object of this research is the naharars (elite household guards) of Bagratuni, who played a significant role in the question of restoration of the Armenian Kingdom in the late IV – VI centuries. Special attention is given to the problem of ethnic consciousness of the Armenian people at the time of the loss of statehood, and commitment of Armenian princes to restore the national state and recover from the dominance of neighboring powers. Methodological framework is comprised of the methods that help to determine certain traits in formation of ethnic identity. Spatial analysis is used in studying the geographical conditions affecting people’s worldview and self-identification. Comparative analysis reveals the peculiarities of ethnic groups. For detailed explanation of specificities of the evolution of identity, the author employs comparative-historical method. Historical-typological comparison contributes to revelation of common features of heterogeneous ethnic elements. The novelty consists in comprehensive analysis of the activity of naharars of Bagratuni dynasty from the perspective of ethnic consciousness n the conditions of Byzantine-Sasanian rule. The attracted materials allowed assessing the nature of activity of the Bagratuni princes on the Byzantine Emperor’s service, as well as at the Persian court. This conducted analysis indicates the degree of engagement of Armenians in the social structure of Byzantium and Sasanian Iran. The conclusion is made that the Armenian political elite was committed to preserve ethnic identity by restoration of sovereignty of the Armenian Kingdom in the conditions of –Byzantine-Sasanian dominion. Bagratuni princes were the most appropriate candidates for the Armenian throne. By the end of the IX century, namely due to the efforts of Bagratuni princes the Armenian Kingdom was restored.

The Armenian-German Artaxata Project: preliminary report on the excavations in Artashat 2019

The paper deals with the second campaign of the Armenian-German Artaxata Project undertaken in 2019. The classical city of Artashat-Artaxata was founded in the 2nd century BC as the capital of the Armenian kingdom. The city stretches over the 15 hills of the Khor Virap heights and the adjacent plain in the Ararat valley. The new project, started in 2018, focusses on Hill XIII and the Lower city to the south and the north of it. This area was investigated by magnetic prospections in 2018 and on the basis of its results, in total eleven 5 × 5 m trenches were excavated. On the eastern part of Hill XIII several structures of possibly domestic function were uncovered. They were laid out according to a regular plan and in total three phases could be determined. According to C14 data, the first phase already dates to the 2nd-1st centuries BC while the subsequent two phases continue into the 1st century AD. In the 2019 campaign, the overall layout and exact function of the structures could not be determined and more excavations will be undertaken in the forthcoming years. North and north-west of Hill XIII the foundations of piers of an unfinished Roman aqueduct on arches were excavated. This aqueduct is attributed to the period 114-117 AD when the emperor Trajan in vain tried to establish the Roman province of Armenia with Artaxata being its capital. The excavated aqueduct is a unique architectural structure in Armenia and adjacent regions of the Near East.

Konferencja „Ormianie polscy. Siedem wieków istnienia” Warszawa, 19 września 2017 roku

Conference „Armenians in Poland. Seven Centuries of History”Senator Jan Żaryn, the Culture and Media Committee of the Senate, the Polish Academy of Art and Sciences in Kraków, with the help of the Armenian Culture Association and the Foundation of Culture and Heritage of Polish Armenians, organised an international conference „Armenians in Poland. Seven Centuries of History” on 19th September 2017. The conference was to celebrate the 650 anniversary of issuing the privilege for Grigor, an Armenian bishop of Lwów, by King Casimir the Great on 20 January 1367. The bishop was consecrated and sent to the Kingdom of Poland by M esrob Artazetsi, the catholicos of Sis in Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.

Inaccuracies enrooted in the attribution and classification of coins of the Cilician Armenian Kingdom Part II Revisiting the copper coinage of Levon IV

At present, seven groups of copper coins are attributed to Levon IV (1320-1342), the king of Cilician Armenia. However, iconographic, stylistic and metrological differences have been observed in these coins that make the possibility of attributing them all to the same king doubtful. A comparative study shows that only two of these groups can be attributed with confidence to Levon IV. These are the small copper coins (Group VI, Figure 22 and Group VII, Figure 23), which are a coherent continuations of Oshin’s copper coinage. The minting of such small copper coins continued under the two kings who followed Levon IV: Ki (Guy) and Kostandin III (Figure 35).As for the other groups, two of them (Groups I and II, Figures 17 and 18) belong to Levon III as they are closely linked to Kostandin I’s coins by iconography and style. Preliminary observations were made on the other three groups. Issues of their dating and attribution will be further examined in one of the following articles in this series.