“Armenians: Ancient Christians in a young country” exhibition opened at Leiden U

The exhibition “Armenians: Ancient Christians in a young country” has been opened at Leiden University on the 350^th anniversary of the first Armenian book printed in Amsterdam.

The exhibition has been organized by Prof. J.J.S. Weitenberg, and Dr. Arnoud Vrolijk, Curator Oriental Collections at Leiden University. Attending the opening ceremony were university staff, students and representatives of the Armenian community.

Guided by colorful illustrated materials, from 10^th century manuscript to contemporary dictionary, you can learn about a part of Armenian history. The exhibition narrates for example about the discovery of the Armenian language by European scholars and about the Armenian Diaspora in Europe from the perspective of printing activity in Amsterdam and Venice.

British Biblical scholar James Rendel Harris, who received an honorary doctorate from Leiden University a century ago, spent six months in Turkey in 1896, organizing relief work for the Armenian victims of Turkish pogroms. He collected dozens of Armenian manuscripts which he donated to Leiden University in 1906.

The exhibition will last until July 31.

T.P.