The Museums of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin have enriched their collection with a rare and valuable 1729 map of the Earthly Paradise, purchased from the Galeria Frame in Madrid, Spain. The map notably includes Armenia’s territory and name.
The acquisition was made possible through the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, and the generous support of philanthropist Rosa Hovhannisyan, according to the museum’s statement.
The map (authored by Father Antoine Augustin Calmet, engraved by Peter Starckman) was printed in 1729 as an insert in the two-volume work titled “Dictionarium Historicum, Criticum, Chronologicum, Geographicum, et Literale Sacrae Scripturae, Cum figuris Antiquitates Judaicas repraesentantibus.”
After restoration, the map is planned to be included in the museum’s permanent exhibition.
