After almost a century, Alexander Miller's collection of artifacts from Western Armenia from 1916 was exhibited and presented as an album-catalogue to the public in his hometown Saint Petersburg during an official ceremony held at the Museum of Ethnography on April 27, 2015.

High-level officials from both countries attended the event, as well as a host of AJF patrons, academics, and special invitees. Among them was Ms. Olga Kazanskaya, the Vice Governor of the Saint Petersburg Region and other officials and legislators. From Armenia, Mr. Vigen Sargsayn, the Chief of Staff of Armenia's President and Chief Coordinator of Events Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide headed the delegation. AJF was represented by Chairman Mr. Pierre Akkelian, Trustee and President of the Armenian Jewellers Association Mr. Gagik Gevorkyan, Regional Director Ms. Aza Babayan and Gold Patron Mr. Karen Mkrtchyan, who is also the head of the local Armenian community, which co-organized the events together with AJF and the Museum. This initiative was duly covered by the media in Saint Petersburg and Yerevan.

According to Mr. Vigen Sargsyan: "Cultural revival was an important aspect for the survival of the Armenian people after the Genocide. This became possible thanks to those who, during the tumultuous years, were able to collect and safeguard exactly what the perpetrators were trying to deprive Armenians from. Professor Miller, whom we find at the origins of this collection, played a serious role in maintaining that cultural heritage that the crime of Genocide aimed to eliminate."

The Treasures of Western Armenia presents, for the first time, the collection that Professor Miller and his fellow ethnographers at the Russian Museum of Ethnography in St. Petersburg recovered from Western Armenia. The Imperial Academy's Expedition of 1916 intended to salvage a piece of history in view of the catastrophe that was befalling the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. The Expedition's team meticulously documented the daily lives of ordinary Armenians, especially in the region of Van, through their material culture. This collection, which was literally stored away for almost 100 years, now affords us a kaleidoscopic view of the cultural heritage of the indigenous people of Western Armenia, who developed the crafts of their civilization over several millennia.

This first AJF academic publication is already earning high praise from the academic community. According to historian and genocide scholar George N. Shirinian, who is also the Executive Director of the Zoryan Institute and the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies: "There is very little information available in English on the distinctive and rich material culture of Western Armenia. This beautifully illustrated book provides a rare glimpse into the costume, jewellery and artifacts of Armenian daily life and provides a link to the lost Armenian cultural heritage, destroyed by the genocide of 1915."

The opening ceremonies in Saint Petersburg were the culmination of two years of meticulous collaboration between AJF's dedicated team of publishers and the Museum's curators. The initiative is a special tribute to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on behalf of the worldwide Armenian jewellery community. It was made possible through the generous donations of AJF's Heritage Society patrons.

----

Copies of the catalogue will be available in select cities soon.

Visit AJF's Facebook page for the following stories 

1) Media Coverage of the Treasures of Western Armenia Inauguration Event: Praise from the Academic Community.
2) Treasures of Western Armenia: AJF's Chairman's Speech during the Inauguration Ceremony, St. Petersburg, April 27, 2015.
3) Treasures of Western Armenia Published: Inauguration of the Catalogue & Exhibit Scheduled for April 27, 2015, in Saint Petersburg.
4) Treasures of Western Armenia Catalogue and Exhibit Unveiled: Invitation to the Inauguration Event to be Held in St. Petersburg on April 27, 2015.
5) Photo Reportage: Photos from the Printing Press.