The art of Armenian bookbinding: technology and restoration issues

The article is dedicated to the study of Armenian manuscript bindings, which represent a synthesis of elements from Byzantine and Islamic bookbinding art. This is precisely what makes them unique. The work examines the technological features and traditional techniques used by Armenian masters in the creation of bindings. The method of sewing quires, the construction of the headband, the shape of the boards, and the binding itself were established by the 14th century and remained unchanged until the 18th century. Over the centuries, some changes can be traced in elements of blind (blitnovoe) embossing and applied metal elements, but the method of creating bindings for manuscript books did not change. Without knowledge of binding techniques, the peculiarities of technology and style, it is impossible to accurately recreate a lost binding or its elements. It is known that by examining the notches (marks or cuts) on the spine of the book block, one can infer how and how many times the binding was “repaired”. However, in the case of Armenian bindings, the difficulty lies in the fact that a restorer or researcher might attribute these cuts to the Greek group. This would mean that not only the sewing of the book block but also its shape and all other details would be considered Greek. The study of bindings is valuable not only for restorers but also for art historians and researchers of medieval art, as it aids in understanding the history of manuscript artifacts. The construction and decoration of bindings reflect the cultural connections and artistic trends of the era.