Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the opening of the exhibition of one of the unique exhibits of medieval Armenian woodwork - a wooden door leaf of an Armenian church dating back to 1188, at the History Museum of Armenia.

This unique piece of historical value was acquired from the Sam Fogg exhibition hall in London by the Government’s decision, within the framework of the state program of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport for the acquisition and transfer of cultural values to Armenia. 175 million 360 thousand drams were allocated from the state budget reserve fund to the Cultural Development Fund for the acquisition of the exclusive Armenian cultural value to be sold at the London international auction and transfer to Armenia.

This monument of medieval Christian art, which is of exceptional value, is carved from oriental walnut wood and is attributed to the woodcut tradition of the Bagratuni period, dating back to 1188. The iconography of the exhibit combines biblical and royal themes. The center of the composition depicts Daniel among lions, and the lower parts present scenes of various beast fights, comparable to the symbolism of Daniel’s vision (Dan. 7:1–7, 7:23–27). The central part of the composition emphasizes the “winged” type of cross with flower buds and a fruitful symbol, which corresponds to the idea of the tree of life in Armenian church art. The art and expert community confirms the exceptional value and significance of the exhibit for the study of Armenian medieval culture.

The exhibition will be available to visitors at the History Museum of Armenia from April 3.