Stones in the Armenian Medieval Recipes

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Researcher, Matenadaran, Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

2 Professor, Head of the Department of Oriental Studies, Matenadaran, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

Abstract

The study of stones has a close connection with the history of medicine and the development of medical science. The healing properties of the stones and minerals are widely discussed in the Armenian medical manuscripts. They are present in the works of Armenian outstanding physicians, such as Mxit‘ar Herac‘i (12th century), Amirdovlat ‘Amasiac’i (15th century), and Asar Sebastac‘i (17th century), already available in publications. There are also numerous Armenian manuscripts containing small treatises named “Vasn Akanc” (About Stones) and “Girk‘ Čoharnerun” (Book of the Precious Stones)․ The article considers the influences on the development of this field of Armenian Medieval works and reveals the role of the Greco-Latin, Hindi, Arabic, and Persian works in it. 
The subsequent discussion of the gems’ healing properties in this article draws upon both published scholarship and select manuscripts held at the Maštoc‘ Matenadaran in Yerevan.
In the Middle Ages, the influence of stones on the human body was not questioned; rather, people sought to understand and explain their astonishing and mysterious properties in order to make informed choices in medicine and the regulation of daily life. While some of these approaches were undoubtedly shaped by exaggeration and myth, they were nonetheless deeply intertwined with empirical knowledge — the result of careful observation and lived experience. The study of ancient scientific thought remains important — not only for understanding its theoretical foundations, but also for identifying criteria for practical application and tracing the connections between diverse scientific traditions.

Highlights

Karine Mosikyan (Google Scholar) 
Kristine Kostikyan (Google Scholar) 

Keywords

References

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Journal of Research on History of Medicine
Volume 15, Issue 3
August 2026
Pages 253-262

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