انجیل

The art of decoration and illumination of holy books has ancient origin, and history of the use of decoration in holy books can be attributed to the illuminated (gilded) religious manuscripts of pre-Islamic Manichaeans. Due to their religious and ritual function, this method of book decoration was transferred to the later cultures and religions, and in those religions and beliefs, it was transformed in accordance with their religious and intellectual principles and foundations. In other words, in some cases, they have remained as before one or have become more complete and complex, and in other cases, these patterns and motifs have been removed or refined. Islam and Christianity, for example, have used this method to express their prominent and sublime concepts. Some manuscripts of these holy books contain the pages known as the decoration or carpet pages (the term is common, especially in Christian and Jewish holy books); pages without text and filled completely by decorative (inhuman) motifs. The decoration of these pages is such that no empty space can be found in it. These pages are usually placed at the beginning of each four sections of the Gospel as well as at the first and the last pages of the Qur'an; like a brilliant gate that is a catharsis for the mind and spirit before entering and reading the sacred text. The earliest examples of these pages can be found in the Qur'ans belonging to the third century AH in Islamic realm (9th century AD) and the triple Insular Gospels in Ireland (7th to 9th century).As the same way, the purpose of this fundamental study was to elucidate the commonalities and differentiations between the arrays and motifs of the decorative pages in the Qur'anic manuscripts in the first centuries of Islam and the first gilded gospels in Insular art. The main query of this research focused on the degree of matching and differentiation between the motifs used in decorating these pages in the early gilded manuscripts of the Qur'ans and the Insular Gospels. In addition to the main research question, we can elaborate on the types of motifs and the way they are represented, as well as the roots and causes for using these motifs in the two books of Qur'an and Gospel. Since the first examples are usually effective to identifying the origins and causes of formation and development, the necessity and importance of research is determined in knowing more about causes of formation of patterns and its development and evolution. In fact, the comparison and description of these motifs in the first gilded Qur'ans and Gospels can also help to further clarify the patterns that evolved in later eras. For example, why in the illuminated manuscripts of Gospels, the arrays and motifs are more mature than in the first gilded Qur'ans?In the background of the research, we can only point to two comparative studies in Islamic and Christian manuscripts that were not related to the study of the designs and motifs of the Carpet pages of the holy books. One is the research by Shayestehfar (Shayestehfar, 2006) in which the decorative motifs of the Qur'ans of the Ilkhanid period and the illustrated Gospels of the contemporary Gothic period have been studied. Another is Shirazi's article (Shirazi, 2016) that studies the miniatures of scientific and literary books in the Islamic world (Seljuk period and the Abbasid school) and the art of book of Christianity (the third period of Byzantium and Romanesque style).By relying on a descriptive-analytical method and a formalistic approach, the present study compares the patterns and decorative elements in these pages. The method of data gathering in this study is searching the resources available in libraries and use of archives available at the European museums. Also, the procedure of data analysis in this qualitative study is inferential. The sampling of the works is based on the antiquity of the decoration pages in the Qur'an and the Gospel manuscripts. In the case of the Gospels, samples from manuscripts of Insular art (3 samples of the Bible) and in the case of the Qur'an, samples from manuscripts belonging to the third century AH (4 samples of the Qur'an) were selected and all their decorations and arrays were studied. As a result of this study, it was found that plant motifs as well as intertwined and geometric patterns (with the predominance of curved lines on broken ones) were used in the decoration of both Islamic and Christian manuscripts. Animal motifs, however, were found only in the Gospel versions. In terms of the amount of commonalities, it was found that in both manuscripts, lattice geometric patterns and intertwinements were very similar. The clear differences between decorative pages in the Qur'ans and the Gospels include the circular Celtic symbols, the Celtic knots, and twisted animal forms in the Insular Gospel manuscripts.

Fungal contamination and increased acidity are the most fundamental factors contributing to the erosion and destruction of historical manuscripts, including the manuscript of the Bible from the year 1150 AD. This work is housed in the museum of Archbishop Ardak Manoukian of Hazrat Maryam Church in Tehran. It is regarded as a significant treasure of Armenian cultural and artistic heritage, as well as an integral part of the cultural identity of the Christian community. Given the importance of this topic, the main objective of this research is to investigate the extent of fungal damage and the acidity level ofthe manuscript in question. This study is experimental in nature, consisting of laboratory investigations conducted over the span of one month in the laboratory of the Conservation and Restoration Faculty at Iran University of Art. To measure the acidity of the paper, a colorimetric method was employed following the standard of direct titration. Additionally, to assess fungal contamination, samples were cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar Solid Medium, and a transmission polarizing microscope was utilized for examination. Chaetomium and Penicillium fungi were isolated from one of the eight samples tested, and an increase in acidity was observed in the manuscript's paper. Due to the complexities of technology, pathology, and environmentalsensitivity, this manuscript requires specific guidelines in museums and repositories to minimize fungal contamination and acidity levels in the paper.

Iranians and Armenians have lived together for a long time and have influenced on the language, culture and traditions of each other. In the wake of an Armenian group migration to Isfahan in Shah Abbas era at century 17th AD/ 11 AH and in consequent of church establishment in Jolfa of Isfahan, some copies of Armenian texts consisted of Gospel (Armenian scripture) and some prayer books have been written in Isfahan. The coincidence of this trend with the tradition of Quran decoration of the Safavid era in Isfahan and the existence of some similarities is the motivation of this research. This study seeks to recognize the similarities and differences between the Armenian gospels illustrated in Jolfa of Isfahan and the Quran illumination of the Safavid era. Considering the descriptive-analytical nature of this research, the information is collected and reviewed through the written sources and studying the related papers and books. In this research, after reviewing the decorative motifs of Armenians’ old manuscripts and composition patterns of them, an overview of Safavid era illumination have been considered. By comparing Armenians artworks before and after migration to Jolfa, their interaction has been analyzed. According to the carried out investigations and comparisons in the current research, decorative motifs of Jolfa Armenians can be considered a follower of Armenians’ illumination although, illumination of Jolfa Armenians has more delicacy in comparison to the illumination of Armenians' manuscripts before migration. But its motifs have more rooted in Christian religion and Armenians illumination than Islamic motifs. On the other hand, it can be said that decorative motifs of Armenians’ scripture were partially affected by the illumination of Isfahan school regarding the appearance and the details of the image, but the content and the generality of the motifs have followed the old schools of the art of Armenian illumination. Also in regard to indicator’s properties of Safavid era illuminations in Isfahan, influencing qurans’ illuminations from Armenians in this era seems to be unlikely.