Բեթղեհեմի Սուրբ Ծննդյան Տաճարի Հայկական Դուռը / THE ARMENIAN WOODEN DOOR OF THE NATIVITY CHURCH IN BETHLEHEM

Abstract

The article is devoted to the historical and political circumstances of the installation of the Armenian wooden door in 1227 in the vestibule of one of the main sanctuaries of Christianity, the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, its Armenian inscription, and artistic decoration. This wooden door decorating the western entrance of the Basilica undoubtedly symbolizes the strong position of the Armenian community in the Holy Land in the 13th century, which was conditioned by favorable external and internal conditions, and by the important role of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem in the same period. The wooden door is distinguished not only by its huge size, and high-art wooden decorations and carvings but also by three-line Armenian and Arabic inscriptions engraved on the right-hand and left-hand flaps of the door. Armenian inscription is carved in beautiful erkat'agir (majuscule) script, unfortunately, damaged in some parts. It is the oldest among dozens of other Armenian inscriptions of the Nativity Church. The names of the Armenian king Het'um the First, his father Constantin, and two priests Abraham and Arak'el are recorded in this inscription. In the article, we discuss the historical context of the door, and its artistic decoration mentioning some contemporaneous parallels, which allow us to attribute the creation of the door to Armenian craftsmen.