One Vessel, Many Worlds: Cross-Cultural Exchange in a Fourteenth-Century Persian Manuscript and the Enduring Memory of a Sacred Mountain
The miniature depicting Noah's Ark (MSS 727, folio 45a) belongs to the Jamiʿ al-Tawarikh ("Compendium of Chronicles"), the monumental universal history commissioned by the Ilkhanid vizier Rashid al-Din Fadlallah (c. 1247–1318). The manuscript was produced in Tabriz between 1305 and 1315, during the reign of the Mongol Ilkhan Öljeytü (r. 1304–1316). The Khalili folio, measuring 14 × 25.5 cm, is executed in ink, translucent and opaque watercolour, gold, and silver on paper. Together with the companion fascicle in Edinburgh University Library, it represents the earliest surviving Arabic version of this work. The manuscript later belonged to the Timurid ruler Shahrukh,
Sixth International Scientific Conference “Ethnographic and Folkloric Readings” Held in Gyumri
The 6th International Scientific Conference "Ethnographic and Folkloric Readings" convened on 14 August at the Shirak Center for Armenian Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia in Gyumri. Established as an annual forum, this year’s edition marked a significant expansion in its international character, bringing together twenty-five scholars representing a range of academic institutions across different countries. The conference was structured around two thematic tracks—ethnography and folklore—and provided a platform for the presentation and critical discussion of current research in these fields. Among the participants was Dr. Ani Margaryan, founder of the ChinArmArt research initiative
Armenian Student Association of China Hosts Annual Gathering in Yerevan
On 6 August, at 5 PM Yerevan time, the annual student gathering for Armenian students took place at LOFT in Yerevan. The event was organized and hosted by the Armenian Student Association of China (ASAC), one of the few active and well-organized Armenian organizations in China, established over a decade ago by Mher Sahakyan.The meeting was led by ASAC President Tatevik Asatryan. Former and current board members of ASAC delivered speeches and actively engaged in dialogue with the participants, who included former and current students, alumni of Chinese universities, and representatives from organizations related to China. More than 50 participants
The Shape Beneath: Armenian Designer Artem Muradyan’s Multiscript Campaign for Cultural Inclusion
In May 2026, Artem Muradyan, an Armenian communication design student from Tongji University, unveiled his graduation project: Ձևի Հիմքում / The Shape Beneath / 形之下. The project is an inclusive cultural campaign identity concept developed for the Matenadaran museum in Armenia, designed to introduce Chinese Song dynasty calligraphy to Armenian audiences through a multisensory experience—visual, audio, tactile, and interactive.The graphic system begins with a single calligraphic character, which is then deconstructed through analysis of its structure, outline, negative space, and visual weight, before being reconstructed into simplified block forms. Each resulting shape is derived from the internal logic of the
Marash Embroidery: A Webinar on Heritage and Craft
On July 18, Mane Vardanyan, Diaspora Youth Ambassador to China, in collaboration with the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR), hosted an online webinar dedicated to the history, cultural significance, and preservation of Marash embroidery. The event featured master embroiderer Lusine Mkhitaryan, who spoke on the craft's history and current state in Armenia, and Alina Martirosyan, Development Coordinator of the SO-Art program, who shared the inspiring story behind the initiative—an income-generating handicraft and vocational training program for teenage girls at SOAR's Transitional Center in Gyumri. The webinar concluded with a lively Q&A session, reflecting the community's deep interest in safeguarding
