Շարակնոց [CHARAKNOTS]. Choral music for the clergy. Amsterda - Lot 79

Շարակնոց [CHARAKNOTS]. Choral music for the clergy. Amsterdam, imprimerie Thomas Vanandetsi, 1702, In-12, 780 p. (including engraved title), Armenian full contemporary cold-stamped brown basane binding, spine with 4 nerves, edges chased and gilt (jaws rubbed, spidering to spine and boards, small leather loss to upper board, corners dulled, paper loss to upper flyleaf). Rare copy of the Charakanots (Շարակնոց), the fundamental hymnbook of the Armenian Church, featuring musical notations in khaz (խազ), a system of neumes specific to the Armenian liturgical tradition, in use since the VIIIᵉ century. The work is illustrated with 48 woodcut vignettes after Christoffel van Sichem the Younger, depicting biblical scenes and portraits of saints. The text is embellished with altar bands, cul-de-lampex, and ornaments in the margins.