Joseph Orbeli
Encyclopedia
Joseph Orbeli was a renowned Soviet
orientalist and academician of Armenian
descent who specialized in medieval history of Southern Caucasus and administered the State Hermitage Museum
in Leningrad
from 1934 to 1951. He was also the founder and first President of the Armenian Academy of Sciences
(1943-47).
in Kutaisi
, Russian Georgia
in 1887, Joseph Orbeli completed his secondary education at a classical gymnasium
in Tiflis. In 1904, he was accepted to St. Petersburg University. He studied history and philology (with a particular emphasis in Latin and Greek) and graduated from the university in 1911. During his student years, Orbeli accompanied his professor, Nicholas Marr, to Russian Armenia
, where he took part in excavations of the ruins of the medieval Armenian capital of Ani
. Marr pushed his pupil to fully immerse himself in the fields of archaeology, literature, lithography
and linguistics; otherwise, Marr reasoned, he would find himself unprepared in his research and his studies.
(more precisely, to the historical region of Khachen), gathering and categorizing lithographic material. Orbeli also managed to travel to Turkish Armenia, where he was able to study Armenian, Seljuk
, and Urartian monuments and conduct research on Armenian and Kurdish dialects.
Gradually, Orbeli was emerging as the leading authority on Armenian antiquities in the world. In 1912, he became a member of the Imperial Russian Archaeological Society and in 1914, he began teaching Armenian
and Kurdish studies at Saint Petersburg University. In 1916, he participated in a Russian archaeological expedition around the Lake Van
region; it was here where he discovered an inscription attributed to the Urartian king Sardur II. He continued his work at St. Petersburg University (in 1917, he was appointed an assistant professor of Armenian-Georgian studies), but occasionally taught at Moscow's Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages
as well. In the years leading up to the Russian Revolution
, Orbeli published a number of books, including a catalogue of artifacts found at Ani and a series of studies dealing with classical philology, Armenian history, archaeology and art.
. Orbeli considerably enhanced the museum's holdings of Oriental art, making it one of the top oriental art museums in the world. No less important was Orbeli's role as head of the national school of Caucasus studies. Orbeli underscored the importance of linguistic studies for proper understanding of historical processes. In 1955-60, he was in charge of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the Leningrad University.
. Ակադեմիկոս Հովսեփ Աբգարի Օրբելի (Academician Hovsep Abgari Orbeli). Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1987.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
orientalist and academician of Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
descent who specialized in medieval history of Southern Caucasus and administered the State Hermitage Museum
Hermitage Museum
The State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display,...
in Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
from 1934 to 1951. He was also the founder and first President of the Armenian Academy of Sciences
Armenian Academy of Sciences
The Armenian Academy of Sciences is the primary body that conducts research in and coordinates activities in the fields of science and social sciences in the Republic of Armenia. It was founded on November 29, 1943...
(1943-47).
Early life and education
Born into a medieval noble familyOrbelian Dynasty
The Orbelian lords of Syunik were a noble family, documented in inscriptions throughout Vayots Dzor and Syunik, and recorded by the family bishop Stepanos in his 1297 History of Syunik....
in Kutaisi
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
, Russian Georgia
Georgia within the Russian Empire
Between 1801 and 1918 the country of Georgia was part of the Russian Empire. For centuries, the Muslim Ottoman and Persian empires had fought over various fragmented Georgian kingdoms and principalities but by the 18th century, a third imperial power, Russia, had emerged in the region. Since Russia...
in 1887, Joseph Orbeli completed his secondary education at a classical gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Tiflis. In 1904, he was accepted to St. Petersburg University. He studied history and philology (with a particular emphasis in Latin and Greek) and graduated from the university in 1911. During his student years, Orbeli accompanied his professor, Nicholas Marr, to Russian Armenia
Russian Armenia
Russian Armenia is the period of Armenia's history under Russian rule beginning from 1829, when Eastern Armenia became part of the Russian Empire to the declaration of the Democratic Republic of Armenia in 1918...
, where he took part in excavations of the ruins of the medieval Armenian capital of Ani
Ani
Ani is a ruined and uninhabited medieval Armenian city-site situated in the Turkish province of Kars, near the border with Armenia. It was once the capital of a medieval Armenian kingdom that covered much of present day Armenia and eastern Turkey...
. Marr pushed his pupil to fully immerse himself in the fields of archaeology, literature, lithography
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
and linguistics; otherwise, Marr reasoned, he would find himself unprepared in his research and his studies.
Archaeological studies
Following his graduation, Orbeli departed for Armenia once more. He became the director of an on-site museum that was established at Ani and, during Marr's absences, frequently headed the excavations himself. He also traveled to Nagorno-KarabakhNagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
(more precisely, to the historical region of Khachen), gathering and categorizing lithographic material. Orbeli also managed to travel to Turkish Armenia, where he was able to study Armenian, Seljuk
Seljuk
Seljuk was the eponymous hero of the Seljuq Turks. He was the son of a certain Duqaq surnamed Timuryaligh and either the chief or an eminent member from the Kınık tribe of the Oghuz Turks...
, and Urartian monuments and conduct research on Armenian and Kurdish dialects.
Gradually, Orbeli was emerging as the leading authority on Armenian antiquities in the world. In 1912, he became a member of the Imperial Russian Archaeological Society and in 1914, he began teaching Armenian
Armenian studies
Armenian studies, or Armenology is a field of humanities covering Armenian history, language, religion and culture.- Early scholars :*Lord Byron *Ghevond Alishan *Mikayel Chamchian...
and Kurdish studies at Saint Petersburg University. In 1916, he participated in a Russian archaeological expedition around the Lake Van
Lake Van
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes . The original outlet from...
region; it was here where he discovered an inscription attributed to the Urartian king Sardur II. He continued his work at St. Petersburg University (in 1917, he was appointed an assistant professor of Armenian-Georgian studies), but occasionally taught at Moscow's Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages
Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages
The Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages, established in 1815, was a Moscow school specializing in Caucasian language and culture, particularly that of Armenia, and the cultural center of the Armenian diaspora in Russia. Many Russian scholars specializing in Transcaucasia received their...
as well. In the years leading up to the Russian Revolution
Russian Revolution
Russian Revolution can refer to:* Russian Revolution , a series of strikes and uprisings against Nicholas II, resulting in the creation of State Duma.* Russian Revolution...
, Orbeli published a number of books, including a catalogue of artifacts found at Ani and a series of studies dealing with classical philology, Armenian history, archaeology and art.
Academic work
This led to his appointment to the Hermitage Museum, which he would steer through the hardships of Stalin's purges and the Siege of LeningradSiege of Leningrad
The Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade was a prolonged military operation resulting from the failure of the German Army Group North to capture Leningrad, now known as Saint Petersburg, in the Eastern Front theatre of World War II. It started on 8 September 1941, when the last...
. Orbeli considerably enhanced the museum's holdings of Oriental art, making it one of the top oriental art museums in the world. No less important was Orbeli's role as head of the national school of Caucasus studies. Orbeli underscored the importance of linguistic studies for proper understanding of historical processes. In 1955-60, he was in charge of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the Leningrad University.
Further reading
Yuzbashyan, KarenKaren Yuzbashyan
Karen Yuzbashyan was an Armenian historian-orientalist and expert on medieval Byzantine-Armenian relations. Yuzbashyan was the author of over 200 books and articles in his lifetime on the political, legal, and cultural aspects and relations of the two countries and a researcher on the development...
. Ակադեմիկոս Հովսեփ Աբգարի Օրբելի (Academician Hovsep Abgari Orbeli). Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1987.