Syriac “Harqlean” Four Gospels Manuscript Dated 1177

Abstract

The Harqlean Four Gospels manuscript, registered at Syc 703 in the Syriac collection at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin, is the subject of the article. It has been observed that the manuscript has not been examined in a detailed monographic study so far and is not known enough. For this reason, the work has been examined in terms of codicological, paleographic, and art-historical aspects, and its features have been tried to be introduced. This manuscript reached by the Chester Beatty Library's digital access includes Eusebius' letter, 17 paintings of 8 canons, decorative cross motifs, 11 liturgical codex tables (tables of periscopes), the Four Gospels, the "Contents" section which provides information about the chapters of the each of four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), copy of the afterword which Tumo of Harqel wrote to give information about his work, colophon and some information notes added in later years. The colophon and the information notes of the manuscript were read and detailed information was obtained. This Harqlean version of four Gospels manuscript with canon tables was written by Isho'bar Romanos and his family members in 1177 in the Virgin Mary Monastery in the region of Tell Arsanius and it was dedicated to the Church of the Forty Martyrs in the Madik Monastery by its endower, the Priest Ahrun, in 1180.