This study forms part of a comprehensive research initiative launched by the Restoration Department of the Matenadaran. The project focuses on analysing the composition and structure of the pigments, inks, and papers used in Armenian manuscripts of the ninth-tenth centuries, which are held in the extensive collection of the Matenadaran. These investigations have become feasible thanks to the department’s recent modernisation that includes advanced equipment such as FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy), XRF (X-ray fluorescence), and Dino-Lite digital microscopes. Integrating these cutting-edge tools enables detailed scientific analysis of the materials, which contributes to a deeper understanding of the techniques used in medieval manuscript production. Analysis of microsamples have revealed the use of traditional pigments characteristic of Armenian miniature painting. These include ultramarine blue and Verona green earth, as well as inks commonly used during the specified historical periods. The most prevalent black ink was derived from green walnut, while the red ink came from Araratian cochineal ( Porphyrophora hamelii ), a dye produced by an insect native to the region.
Khorozian et al. (Mon,) studied this question.