In response to a recently circulated video in Azerbaijani media alleging that the manuscripts displayed at the Gandzasar Monastic Complex museum are forgeries, Matenadaran has issued an official statement categorically rejecting the accusations and providing factual clarification.
The video casts doubt on both the authenticity and provenance of the manuscripts exhibited at Gandzasar, implicitly challenging the credibility of the institutions responsible for their preservation.
Following a formal inquiry from 301, Matenadaran addressed the claims in an official letter, stating unequivocally that the items shown in the video are not original manuscripts, but high-quality reproductions produced by its manuscript reproduction department specifically for the Gandzasar branch. This is clearly evident, the letter notes, as only two pages in each volume are reproduced, while the remaining pages are left blank.
The statement further confirms that all original manuscripts used in the reproduction process are securely housed at Matenadaran’s main facility in Yerevan and have never been transferred or exhibited at Gandzasar. The reproduction unit itself was created to support the needs of the museum branch without compromising the safety of the originals.
Matenadaran concluded by affirming that no original manuscripts have ever been kept at the Gandzasar branch and that allegations of forgery are entirely baseless. The institution regards these claims as a deliberate attempt to discredit Armenia’s cultural heritage and the scholarly work dedicated to its preservation.
