Armenian printing

[[Image:Հայ գրի ցուցահանդէս.JPG|thumb|250px|right|The Armenian Literary Tradition exhibit at the Library of Congress in 2012, dedicated to the 500th anniversary of Armenian printing]]

After the introduction of movable printing type to Europe by Johannes Gutenberg in Germany (circa 1439), Armenians from throughout the diaspora began to publish Armenian-language books. The first book which had Armenian letters was published in Mainz (Germany) in 1486. The first Armenian book to be published by the printing press was ''Urbatagirq''—Book of Friday prayers—which was published by Hakob Meghapart in Venice in 1512.

* The first Armenian book was published by Hakob Meghapart in 1512 in Venice (Italy). The book was called «Ուրբաթագիրք» ("Urpatakirk", "Friday Book").<ref>[http://www.nla.am/meghapart/English/1500.htm Hakob Meghapart project] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715223726/http://www.nla.am/meghapart/English/1500.htm |date=July 15, 2010 }}</ref><ref name="WDL"/> * Abgar Dpir Tokhatetsi published an Armenian book in Constantinople (Ottoman Empire) in 1568. * The first Armenian printing house in Persia was established in New Julfa (Isfahan, Iran) in 1636. The first book to be published in this printing house was «Սաղմոսարան» ("Saghmosaran", "Psalter"); it was published in 1638 by Khachatur Kesaratsi,<ref>[http://www.nla.am/meghapart/English/1600.htm Hakob Meghapart project] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531152852/http://www.nla.am/meghapart/English/1600.htm |date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> while the first Persian book in Persia was published 192 years later in 1830. * The first Armenian printing house in Armenia was established in Vagharshapat in 1771 and the first book was called «Զբօսարան Հոգեւոր» ("Zbosaran Hogevor", "Spiritual walking"); it was published in 1772 by Simeon I of Yerevan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ermeni.org/ermenice/vagharshapat_uni.htm |title=Վաղարշապատ |accessdate=2009-09-08 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100226022545/http://ermeni.org/ermenice/vagharshapat_uni.htm |archivedate=2010-02-26 }}</ref> **The first Armenian printing house in Yerevan was established in 1876 by Z. Hakobyan. In 1880 E. Ter-Grigoryan became director of the printing house and worked there until the 1910s. The first book printed in the printing house was E. Ter-Grigoryan's "Trchnik" ("Small Bird") collection. * The first Armenian printing house in Russia was set up in Saint Petersburg in 1781. Grigor Khaldariants' had type sent from London, and under the sponsorship of the Primate of Armenians in Russia, Bishop Hovsep Arghutian, he edited the first Armenian book to be published in the Tsarist realm, «Տետրակ այբբենական» ("Tetrak aybbenakan", "ABC Reader") in 1781. He then printed works such as «Բանալի գիտութեան» ("Banali Gitut'ean", "The Key to Science"), «Շաւիղ լեզվագիտութեան» ("Shavigh Lezvagitut'ean", "Linguistic Guide"), and «Ընդհանրական»("Endhanrakan", "Encyclical Letter") by Nersés Shnorhali.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hyeetch.nareg.com.au/culture/book_p1.html |title=HyeEtch - Arts & Culture: The Art of The Book, page 1 |access-date=2009-09-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912132316/http://www.hyeetch.nareg.com.au/culture/book_p1.html |archive-date=2009-09-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== 20th century === After the sovietization of Armenia, Yerevan becoming the center of the Armenian printing, where in 1921 organized by the State Publishing House. It assumes the functions of editing and organization publications. Makes its political, artistic, scientific, publications for children with relatively large circulations. Separated from the State Publishing House publishing house “Luys” (Light), specialized mainly in the publication of textbooks. In 1964 from publishing Armenian State Publishing House (HayPetHrap) was renamed “Hayastan” (Armenia). In 1976 have been separated from the last publishing “Sovetakan Grogh” (Soviet writer), which it published in the most artistic and literary works. Academy of Science of Armenian SSR published a monograph of scientific and other research literature, and publish works of Armenian classical and scientific texts from the Matenadaran as well. Publishing house of Yerevan State University publishes textbooks, collections and scientific monographs since 1922. From this period also involved in publishing the National Library, “Gitelik” (knowledge) and several others. In 1980 have acted in Yerevan on 20 printers. From 1922 until the end of 1970 in Armenia were published about 45 thousand titles of books. In the last years of Soviet power in Armenia each year were printed about 1,100 titles. During this period, books and periodicals published in the Armenian language as in other republics of the USSR.

Since 1920 (the sovietization of Armenia) to the 1980s main centers of the Armenian printing press in the diaspora were Istanbul, Cairo and Beirut (the latter now is its main center). At this moment the Armenian Diaspora was published about 21 thousand titles. Total number of items of Armenian newspapers in 1512 and 1980, more than 80 thousand.

== Armenian printing houses worldwide ==

The following table is a list of the '''Armenian printing houses''' from 1512 to 1800.<ref>Albert Parsadanyan. ''Intelligence Warehouse-5''. VMV-Print, Yerevan, 2007, p. 28</ref>

{| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Place ! Book ! Publisher ! Year |- | 1512 | {{flagicon|Republic of Venice}} Venice | «Ուրբաթագիրք» ("Urbathagirq", "Friday Book")<ref name="WDL">{{cite web |url = http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11302/ |title = The Book of Fridays |work = World Digital Library |year = 1512 |accessdate = 2013-06-01 }}</ref> | Hakob Meghapart | 1512 |- | 1513 | {{flagicon|Republic of Venice}} Venice | «Պարզատումար» ("Parzatumar")<ref name="WDL2">{{cite web |url = http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11303/ |title = Armenian Liturgical Calendar |work = World Digital Library |year = 1513 |accessdate = 2013-06-01 }}</ref> | Hakob Meghapart | 1512 |- | 1513 | {{flagicon|Republic of Venice}} Venice | «Պատարագագիրք» ("Pataragagirq") | Hakob Meghapart | 1513 |- | 1513 | {{flagicon|Republic of Venice}} Venice | «Աղթարք» ("Aghtarq") | Hakob Meghapart | 1513 |- | 1513 | {{flagicon|Republic of Venice}} Venice | «Տաղարան» ("Tagharan")<ref name="WDL3">{{cite web |url = http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11304/ |title = Song Book by Hakob Meghapart |work = World Digital Library |year = 1513 |accessdate = 2013-06-01 }}</ref> | Hakob Meghapart | 1513 |- | 1565 | {{flagicon|Republic of Venice}} Venice | «Խառնափնթուր տումարի գեղեցիկ եւ պիտանի» ("Kharnapntur tumari geghetsik yev pitani") | Abgar Dpir Tokhatetsi | 1565 |- | 1567 | {{flagicon|Ottoman Empire|1453}} Constantinople | «Փոքր քերականութիւն» ("Poqr qerakanutyun", "Brief Armenian Grammar") | Abgar Dpir Tokhatetsi | 1567 |- | 1584 | {{flagicon|Papal States|old}} Rome | «Տոմար Գրիգորեան» ("Tomar Grigorian", "Gregorian Calendar') | Dominico Basa | 1584 |- | 1616 | {{flagicon|Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth|1586}} Lviv | «Սաղմոսարան» ("Saghmosaran", "Psalter") | Yovhannes Karamatanents | 1616 |- | 1621 | {{flagicon|Spain|1506}} Milan | "Dictionarium Armeno-Latinum" (Armenian-Latin Dictionary) | Collegium Ambrosianum | 1621 |- | 1633 | {{flagicon|Kingdom of France}} Paris | «Բառգիրք Հայոց» ("Bargirq Hayots", "Dictionarium Armeno-Latinum") | Antonius Vitray | 1633 |- | 1638 | {{flag icon|Safavid dynasty}} New Julfa | «Սաղմոս ի Դավիթ» ("Saghmosaran", Psalter) | Khachatur Kesaratsi of the Vank Cathedral | 1638 |- | 1641 | {{flag icon|Safavid dynasty}} New Julfa | «Հարանց Վարք» ("Harants Varq") | Khachatur Kesaratsi of the Vank Cathedral | 1641 |- | 1641 | {{flag icon|Safavid dynasty}} New Julfa | «Խորհրդատետր» ("Khorhrdatetr", Missal) | Khachatur Kesaratsi of the Vank Cathedral | 1641 |- | 1642 | {{flag icon|Safavid dynasty}} New Julfa | «Ժամագիրք Ատենի» ("Zhamagirq Ateni") | Khachatur Kesaratsi of the Vank Cathedral | 1642 |- | 1644 | Livorno | «Գիրք եւ Սաղմոսք Դաւթի որ եւ Սաղմոսարան կոչի» ("Girq yev Saghmosq Davti vor yev Saghmosaran kochi", "Psalter") | Yovhannes Jughayetsi | 1644 |- | 1647 | {{flag icon|Safavid dynasty}} New Julfa | «Գիրք տումարաց որ եւ պարզատումար կոչի» ("Girq tumarats vor yev parzatumar kochi") | Yovhannes Jughayetsi | 1647 |- | 1660 | {{flagicon|Dutch Republic}} Amsterdam | Հիսուս Որդի "Hisus Vordi" (Jesus the Son) | Matteos Caretsi and Avetis Ghlitshents | 1660–1661 |- | 1672 | {{flagicon|Kingdom of France}} Marseille | «Սաղմոսարան» ("Saghmosaran", "Psalter") | Oskan Yerevantsi | 1672 |- | 1676 | {{flagicon|Ottoman Empire|1453}} Smyrna | «Մաշտոց» ("Mashtots", "Ritual") | N/A | 1676 |- | 1680 | {{flagicon|Electorate of Saxony}} Leipzig | "Obadias Armenus" ("Armeno-Latin") | Justinus Brand | 1680 |- | 1690 | {{flagicon|Republic of Venice}} Padua | «Դաշանց թուղթ» ("Dashnats tught", "Lettera dell amicitia") | Timoteos Garnuk | 1690 |- | 1736 | {{flagicon|Kingdom of Great Britain}} London | Movses Khorenatsi, «Պատմություն» ("Patmutyun", "History") (Mosis Chorenensis, Historiae Armeniacae) ''Armenian and Latin'' | William and George Whiston | 1736 |- | 1771 | 25px Vagharshapat | «Սաղմոսարան» ("Saghmosaran", "Psalter") | St. Gregory the Illuminator Press | 1772 |- | 1776 | {{flagicon|Habsburg Monarchy}} Trieste | «Աղօթք Յուսկան» ("Aghot Yuskan", Prayer of our Holy Hierarch Yusik) | Mkhitarist Press | 1774 |- | 1781 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire}} Saint Petersburg | «Ժամագիրք» ("Zhamagirq", "Breviary") | Grigor Khaldareants | 1783 |- | 1786 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire}} Nakhichevan-on-Don | «Սաղմոսարան» ("Saghmosaran", "Psalter") | Holy Cross Monastery Press | 1790 |- | 1796 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire}} Astrakhan | «Հրովարտակ» ("Hrovartak", "Decree") | Arghuteants press | 1796 |- | 1796 | 25px Calcutta | «Վիճաբանութիւն ար շահ Սլեմանն պարսից» ("Vitsabanuthyun ar sah Slemann parsits", "Dispute Before the Persian Sah Suleyman") | Hovsep Stepanosyan | 1797 |- | 1810 | 25px Bombay | | | |- | 1812 | {{flagicon|Habsburg Monarchy}} Vienna | | | |- | 1820 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire}} Moscow | | | |- | 1823 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire}} Tiflis | | | |- | 1828 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire}} Shusha | | | |- | 1833 | {{flagicon|Ottoman Empire|1453}} Jerusalem | | | |- | 1848 | {{flagicon|Ottoman Empire}} Bahçecik | | | |- | 1856 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire}} Shamakhi | | | |- | 1857 | {{flagicon|United States|1851}} New York City | | | |- | 1858 | {{flagicon|Ottoman Empire}} Van | | | |- | 1859 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire|1858}} Feodosia, Crimea | | | |- | 1863 | {{flagicon|Ottoman Empire}} Muş | | | |- | 1863 | {{flagicon|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}} Manchester | | | |- | 1865 | {{flagicon|Egypt|Ottoman}} Cairo | | | |- | 1871 | {{flagicon|Ottoman Empire}} Sivas | | | |- | 1872 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire|1858}} Baku | | | |- | 1874 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire|1858}} Elisabethpol | | | |- | 1875 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire|1858}} Rostov-on-Don | | | |- | 1876 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire|1858}} Yerevan | | | |- | 1877 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire|1858}} Alexandrapol | | | |- | 1877 | {{flagicon|Kingdom of Romania}} Focşani | | | |- | 1883 | {{flagicon|Ottoman Empire}} Tokat | | | |- | 1884 | {{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Varna | | | |- | 1888 | {{flagicon|Egypt|1882}} Alexandria | | | |- | 1888 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire}} Akhaltsikh | | | |- | 1889 | 25px Tabriz | | | |- | 1890 | {{flagicon|Russian Empire}} Nor Bayazet | | | |- | 1891 | {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Geneva | | | |- | 1891 | {{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Ruse | | | |- | 1892 | {{flagicon|Greece|old}} Athens | | | |- | 1894 | 25px Tehran | | | |- | 1899 | {{flagicon|United States|1896}} Boston | | | |- |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category|Printing in Armenia}} * [http://greenstone.flib.sci.am/gsdl/cgi-bin/library.cgi?e=p-00000-00---off-0--00-----0-10-0---0---0direct-10---4-------0-1l--10-en-50---20-home---0--1-00-0-0-01-1-0utfZz-8-00&a=p&p=about&c=armenian Armenian Rare Books 1512-1800] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090912132316/http://www.hyeetch.nareg.com.au/culture/book_p1.html HyeEtch: The Art of The Book: Printing and Engraving]

Category:Armenian literature Category:History of printing Printing Category:Culture of Armenia