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`Do not damage' principle is most important in preservation of old manuscripts
09:55, 29 September, 2012
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS: About 100-150 manuscripts are
annually repaired at the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient
Manuscripts, commonly referred to as the Matenadaran. In the interview
given to Armenpress, the Chief of the Restoration Department of
Matenadaran Gayane Eliazyan stated that the restoration process of the
manuscripts was carried out stage by stage, which is, according to
her, very like the process of cure of the patient by the doctor. Being
a chemist by profession, Gayane Eliazyan is certain that independent
from the professional knowledge the restoration process is impossible
without boundless love towards the culture and the great aspiration to
save the magnificence.
The principle "do not damage" is as well actual in the restoration
process as in Medicine.
The first stage to give a new life to the antique literature samples,
the manuscripts, at the Restoration Department of Matenadaran, which
has been functioning for 52 years, is conservation.
"It is mechanical cleansing and disinfection. Before appearing at the
Matenadaran a lot of books are kept by people as an idol, often in
basements or under the bed, which creates strong conditions for the
development of pests in the book", - said the Chief of the Restoration
Department of Matenadaran. According to her, during the conservation
stage the book is cleaned off the damage made by the fungus, bacteria,
rodents and moths.
"It is quite important that the entire restoration process after the
conservation is carried out competently. It happens so that the
manuscripts, kept in the regional or mountainous libraries, are
damaged more because of their wrong maintenance", - said Gayane
Eliazyan. She believes that every manuscript has its own "symptoms".
"The restoration works of the manuscripts demand skills and the
principle "do not damage" is the most important here", - said the
Chief of the Restoration Department. In accordance with the ethics of
the restoration works the historical monument, in this case the
manuscript, should preserve its historic appearance.
The Matenadaran meets all the up-to-date restoration standards.
"The Restoration Department of the Matenadaran give a new life to
unique manuscripts, and no other modern American or European center
has such samples", - stated Gayane Eliazyan. The Matenadaran is the
only institution in the region, where such high-level restoration
works are carried out.
"Restoration is a serious science, the theoretical part of which is
necessary, but along with that we should have practical experience as
well", - emphasized the Chief of the Department. She mentioned that
notwithstanding the problems the Matenadaran had a brilliant place for
manuscript materials.
Regular monitoring is carried out at the Restoration Department of the
Matenadaran to determine what manuscripts need urgent restoration and
which of them should be repaired the soonest.
One of the steps towards the preservation of the manuscripts is the
digitalization process, which will enable the scientific researchers
to deal directly with the manuscript only in very limited cases,
studying the digitized version of it instead.
During the previous two years about ten thousands of ancient samples
have been restored at the Restoration Department. The Department
carries out the restoration process with up-to-date equipment.
Experience exchange with foreign partners is being constantly
implemented.
On October 8-11 a large-scale training course for the librarians,
restorers and fund keepers of Armenia and the CIS countries will be
held at the Matenadaran under the auspices of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Interviewed by Tatevik Grigoryan
09:55, 29 September, 2012
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS: About 100-150 manuscripts are
annually repaired at the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient
Manuscripts, commonly referred to as the Matenadaran. In the interview
given to Armenpress, the Chief of the Restoration Department of
Matenadaran Gayane Eliazyan stated that the restoration process of the
manuscripts was carried out stage by stage, which is, according to
her, very like the process of cure of the patient by the doctor. Being
a chemist by profession, Gayane Eliazyan is certain that independent
from the professional knowledge the restoration process is impossible
without boundless love towards the culture and the great aspiration to
save the magnificence.
The principle "do not damage" is as well actual in the restoration
process as in Medicine.
The first stage to give a new life to the antique literature samples,
the manuscripts, at the Restoration Department of Matenadaran, which
has been functioning for 52 years, is conservation.
"It is mechanical cleansing and disinfection. Before appearing at the
Matenadaran a lot of books are kept by people as an idol, often in
basements or under the bed, which creates strong conditions for the
development of pests in the book", - said the Chief of the Restoration
Department of Matenadaran. According to her, during the conservation
stage the book is cleaned off the damage made by the fungus, bacteria,
rodents and moths.
"It is quite important that the entire restoration process after the
conservation is carried out competently. It happens so that the
manuscripts, kept in the regional or mountainous libraries, are
damaged more because of their wrong maintenance", - said Gayane
Eliazyan. She believes that every manuscript has its own "symptoms".
"The restoration works of the manuscripts demand skills and the
principle "do not damage" is the most important here", - said the
Chief of the Restoration Department. In accordance with the ethics of
the restoration works the historical monument, in this case the
manuscript, should preserve its historic appearance.
The Matenadaran meets all the up-to-date restoration standards.
"The Restoration Department of the Matenadaran give a new life to
unique manuscripts, and no other modern American or European center
has such samples", - stated Gayane Eliazyan. The Matenadaran is the
only institution in the region, where such high-level restoration
works are carried out.
"Restoration is a serious science, the theoretical part of which is
necessary, but along with that we should have practical experience as
well", - emphasized the Chief of the Department. She mentioned that
notwithstanding the problems the Matenadaran had a brilliant place for
manuscript materials.
Regular monitoring is carried out at the Restoration Department of the
Matenadaran to determine what manuscripts need urgent restoration and
which of them should be repaired the soonest.
One of the steps towards the preservation of the manuscripts is the
digitalization process, which will enable the scientific researchers
to deal directly with the manuscript only in very limited cases,
studying the digitized version of it instead.
During the previous two years about ten thousands of ancient samples
have been restored at the Restoration Department. The Department
carries out the restoration process with up-to-date equipment.
Experience exchange with foreign partners is being constantly
implemented.
On October 8-11 a large-scale training course for the librarians,
restorers and fund keepers of Armenia and the CIS countries will be
held at the Matenadaran under the auspices of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Interviewed by Tatevik Grigoryan