Are There Online Texts of Ancient Armenian Manuscripts in Copy/Pastable Format?

The English translation of ancient Armenian texts in digital formats is a topic of interest for scholars, researchers, and enthusiasts who wish to study these historical manuscripts without the constraints of physical access. However, the answer to the question of whether one can find entire ancient Armenian texts online in a copy/pastable format (as opposed to PDFs or images) is largely no. This scarcity is due to several factors related to the historical, cultural, and institutional significance of these texts.

Historical and Cultural Significance

Ancient Armenian manuscripts, dating back to the 5th century AD, hold significant cultural and historical value. These documents often contain invaluable insights into the religious, linguistic, and cultural context of early Armenia. The script used in these manuscripts is unique, known as Armenian script, and its preservation and digitization have been the focus of efforts by various institutions.

Access and Availability

Due to the rare and precious nature of these ancient texts, access to them is typically restricted. Generally, only authorized researchers and scholars have access to these documents within controlled environments like libraries and archives. However, efforts to make them more accessible have been made by several institutions.

Premium Collections and Institutions

The largest collections of ancient Armenian manuscripts and old-printed Armenian books are held by the following institutions:

Matenadaran (Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts) in Yerevan, Armenia, under the Government of the Republic of Armenia. Here, one can request digital copies for a fee ranging from $0.7 to $18.5 per page, depending on the quality of the manuscript. Armenian Catholic Mekhitarist Congregation in Venice, Italy, which houses a significant collection of ancient Armenian texts. The Holy See of St. Echmiadzin in Vagarshapat, Armenia, administered by the Armenian Apostolic Church, which also preserves numerous ancient manuscripts.

These institutions often make selected portions of their collections available online, but full-text digital versions in a copy/pastable format are not widely available.

Potential Digital Resources

While one might not find entire texts available in copy/pastable formats, there are a few digital resources that provide extensive information about these ancient manuscripts. For instance, the Matenadaran's official website offers a catalog of manuscripts for digital viewing and research. Researchers can order high-quality scans or digital copies for a fee. Other digital repositories, such as the Digital Collections at the University of Chicago, also offer some scans of ancient Armenian texts for academic and research purposes.

Additionally, academic journals, scholarly articles, and online databases often publish transcriptions and translations of key sections from these manuscripts, making them accessible to the broader academic community.

Conclusion

While there is limited access to entire ancient Armenian texts in copy/pastable formats online, institutions like Matenadaran and other dedicated repositories have made significant strides in making these texts more accessible to researchers and scholars. The ongoing digitization efforts and the establishment of digital repositories continue to enhance the availability of these historical texts for academic and research purposes.