Armenian Monastic Elites Harnessing the ‘Turkmen’ State?: I. Layout, Text, and Textual Commentary of the Armenian Inscription at Arcowaber (1420 A.D. or Earlier)

Abstract

This article presents the all-but-lost Armenian inscription ostensibly recording an order from the last years of the Qaraquyunlu ‘Turkmen’ ruler qara Yūsuf (d. 1420 A.D.) at the church of the monastery of Arcowaber, now located in the center of the village of Salmanağa (Erciş, Van) in Turkey. A subsequent article discusses the date of the inscription together with its historical context and function. The present contribution establishes the layout and form of the text, including an extensive commentary of its terminology and content.