The mirror-writing epigraphic cryptography of Tatev monastery and similar parallels

Abstract

Tatev monastery is one of the famous historical, religious-cultural centers of medieval Armenia, whose epigraphic inscriptions have great importance for the study of the history of South Caucasus. Numerous inscriptions are preserved on the walls of churches and memorial monuments of the monastery and many of them remain unpublished. A mirror-writing epigraphic cryptography is preserved on the exterior southern wall of St. Paul-Peter Cathedral of the monastery, whose decipherment has been the main occasion of this publication. The inscription reveals the names of bishops Anton, Stepanos and Father Kirakos – most likely visitor-donors who came to the Tatev monastery as pilgrims and made donations, for which their names were awarded to be mentioned on the walls of the church as the “Book of Life”. As a result of this discovery, the number of Armenian mirror-writing cryptographs (which are known from various Armenian monuments: Kurtan, Tanahat, Sevanavank, Litchk, Haghpat, Old Shinuhayr etc.) has been increased.

Keywords

• epigraphy
• cryptography
• tatev monastery
• bishop
• visitor-donor