A Reexamination of the Place and Role of the Hmayil (Prayer Scroll) in Early Modern Armenian Society

Abstract: This paper undertakes a reexamination of the place and role of hmayils (prayer scrolls) in early modern Armenian society through research into the colophons of handwritten scrolls. Data from the colophons is examined to uncover who were the primary makers and recipients of scrolls. The findings reveal that most makers of hmayils were ordained members of the clerical hierarchy and that recipients of scrolls included those from most sectors of early modern Armenian society, with prominent representation among the laity, including women. Throughout the paper, I reflect on the attitude of church authorities toward hmayils, which is complex and in need of much nuance and further research. There seems to have been an effort on the part of church figures to publish and promote authorized versions of this popular literary form that were 'sanitized', i.e., stripped of most of the magical and talismanic elements found in other handmade hmayils. In light of the emphasis on mobility among early modern Armenians in the scholarship of Sebouh Aslanian, this paper also reflects on the significance of the prayer scroll for early modern Armenian travelers, in particular merchants and pilgrims, as well as the possible significance of the scroll shape itself.