** - Lot 182

Lot 182
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9000 - 12000 EUR
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** - Lot 182
** Manuscript book of prophylactic prayers (Hekial, Հեքյալ), 1661 138 pages on paper (some pages missing), one parchment inner cover, restorations. Continuous text of 13 lines written in bolorgir. 10.5 x 7.5 cm. The small format indicates private use of this book. The manuscript was written in the church of Saint Theotokos in the village of Khoupe (Khizan province, Bitlis / Van region) in 1611 by the priest Mikayel on commission from Petros, who paid 4 gold coins for the work. Recent leather binding. The book features two full-page illuminations: Saint Gregory of Narek (fol. 5r) and Saint Cyprian and Saint Justine (fol. 28v). The artist's style and palette are very close to the art of Zakaria Avantsi, who could have been the inspiration for his illustrations. The beginnings of certain prayers and chapters are decorated with title pages (folios 1r, 5v, 8r, 16r, 29r, 36r, 58r, 62r, 72r). There are also numerous marginal floral illustrations accompanying the prayers, and ornithomorphic initials at the beginning of texts, serving as convenient visual cues. The book contains prayers and invocations that generally appear in the Hmayils, Urbatagirqs (The Book of Fridays), Cyprianus or Aghtarq. The difference with the books mentioned here is the existence of a dream tractation chapter (fol. 72r-121v) at the end of the book. Here we see prayers by St. Gregory of Narek, St. Nerses the Gracious Nerses the Gracious and invocations to Saint Sargis and his son Martiros and to Saint Cyprian. Prayers also called for luck, wealth and childbirth, and warded off the evil eye, the evil tongue, demons and the evil gaze. Some texts and prayers contain cabalistic signs at the end (fols. 15v, 16r, 37r, 58r). A hekial is a type of medieval medicine book akin to a talisman that was supposed to ward off evil spirits, spells and the evil eye. The name of the book's owner is added to the wish lines, so that he or she will not be harmed by demons. The legend of Cyprien and Justine is linked to magic and witchcraft. Cyprian was a renowned sorcerer, initiated into many pagan cults and rites, and had dealings with the devil. He tried to seduce the young Christian virgin Justine. He finally renounced magic thanks to her, and converted to Christianity. He publicly burned his grimoires. The two were martyred together in Nicomedia during Diocletian's persecution. A more detailed study can be requested from the expert Mme. Emma Chookaszian.
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