Among the numerous maps associated with the figure of the Bolognese count and scientist Luigi Ferdinando Marsili (1658-1730), a special place is held by the Armenian Map he commissioned from the Armenian scholar Eremia Č‘ēlēpi K‘ēōmiwrčean during his trip to Constantinople in 1691. Long
forgotten, the monumental map (358 x 120 cm), dotted with watercolor drawings and captions in Armenian, was discovered in the deposits of the BUB exactly three centuries after its creation, in 1991, during the preparation of a cartographic exhibition with the significant title Explorations in the library. As noted by K‘ēōmiwrčean in the lengthy colophon he personally wrote on the document at the bottom right, in 1691 Marsili went to him to inquire about the monasteries of the Armenian world. Eremia’s response is the map itself, which gathers, beyond the barriers imposed by time and political borders (Armenia was then divided between the Ottoman Empire and the Persian Empire), the locations of hundreds and hundreds of Armenian monasteries and sanctuaries accompanied by captions that rarely limit themselves to the mere indication of the place name, but often add information about the place’s renown. The map drawn by Eremia is not merely a map, however original, but a summary of the entire history of his people.
Who it is for
The path is designed preferably for high school students, but it can also be
adapted to suit primary school students or middle school students by
adjusting the themes and discussions accordingly. The space of the
University Library of Bologna allows for the visit of a single class of students.
Led by lecturers
Prof. Anna Sirinian DISCI
Prof. Giacomo Nerozzi BUB
