In the centuries-old history of the Armenian periodical press, the “Historical and Philological Journal” (HPհJ) of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia has its unique place. Having passed a complex and difficult path of scientific research, organizational and publishing stages, the periodical has become one of the most prestigious journals in Armenian studies, a well-known forge for training scientific personnel, and has successfully achieved the multifaceted goals set for it.
The political thaw started in the Soviet Union in the mid-1950s, the economic growth that had begun in the previous decades, the rise in the general level of people – the creation of a wide network of schools, institutions of higher education, scientific and research institutions - provided favourable conditions for the progress of sciences including Armenian studies. Under such favorable historical and political conditions, only in 1958, it became possible to establish a new Armenian studies periodical, through the efforts of the leadership of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia and renowned Armenologists.
Ash. Hovhannisyan, S. Yeremyan, L. Khachikyan, B. Arakelyan, A. Gharibyan, S. Arevshatyan and other prominent historians and philologists were included in the editorial board of the periodical established by the decision of the presidium of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia. Editor-in-chief of the journal was renowned historian, Vice-President of the Academy, Academician M. Nersisyan, who led the work of the HPհJ for about 40 consecutive years. In the following years, the editorial board of the journal was completed with new specialists in Armenian studies and Orientalist scholars - B. Piotrovsky, I. Abuladze, V. Bănăţeanu, A. Ghanalanyan, K. Ghafadaryan, G. Jahukyan, Ed. Jrbashyan, G. Sargsyan, G. Brutyan, Em. Pivazyan, Hr. Bartikyan, and others.
After the death of the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the HPհJ M. Nersisyan, in 1999, this position was entrusted to the NAS RA Academician, the renowned Armenologist V. Mikayelyan. After his death, in 2005, one issue of the journal was published under the editorial supervision of Doctor of Historical Sciences P. Muradyan, and another one – under Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Responsible Secretary, Doctor of Philological Sciences A. Zakaryan. In 2006, S. Harutyunyan- a corresponding member of NAS of RA, a well-known folklorist and philologist- was elected editor-in-chief of the journal.
On June 13, 2018, the presidium of NAS RA appointed Academician A. Melkonyan as a chairman of the editorial board of HPhJ, and Doctor in Philology A. Zakaryan, as an editor-in-chief.
The content structure, formed from the first issue of the journal and maintained unchanged for years, including sections and subsections (''Articles'', ''Reports'', ''Debates'', ''Historical and Cultural Essays'', ''Publications'', ''Reviews'', ''Life of Armenians in the Diaspora'', ''Our Jubilееs'', ''News'', ''Scientific News''), has recently undergone fundamental changes, additions and clarifications (“History”, “Literary Studies”, “Linguistics”, “Art History”, “Archaeology and Ethnography”, “History of Philosophical Thought”, “Arts”, “Discussions”, “Publications”, ''Reviews'', if necessary “Our Honored Scholars”, “Our Jubilееs”, “Scientific Life”, “News”). The materials in the periodical are published in Armenian, English and Russian.
Since its foundation, the HPհJ has been distributed not only in Armenia but also beyond its borders. By the way, until 1990, four issues were published yearly, from 1991 to 1997 - one or two issues, until 2000 there were combined issues and in 2000, HPհJ turned from a quarterly to a four- monthly journal, and to this day three issues are published annually.
Our journal highly recommends publications both in Armenian, Russian and English pursuing a policy of multi-language approach towards science as well as preservation and development of mother tongue – Armenian. Besides, it keeps to the traditions formed for more than half a century.
During these years, 229 major issues of the “Historical and Philological Journal” have been published, each with a volume of 15-20 press sheets, on average 25 articles in each issue, that is, about 6000 printed items have been published since its foundation.
In 1983, the bibliographic lists of the HPhJ for 1958-1982 and 1983-2007 were published in Armenian and Russian and in 2009, in Armenian, Russian and English.
On the pages of the HPhJ, Armenian and foreign specialists published articles, reports, and scientific news relating to the studies of different issues of history, literature, language, archaeology, lithography, folklore, ethnography, philosophy, economic thought, law, art, and architecture of the Armenian people in different eras. The journal also gives coverage to publications on Armenian studies and important scientific and cultural events taking place in Armenia, Diaspora and abroad. The journal also comprehensively covers the historical and cultural life of the Armenians in Diaspora. All of this lines up with mutual relations and ties with neighboring countries and peoples. The HPհJ has its contribution to the research works on Oriental studies, Caucasian studies and Byzantine studies.
Topics of common cultural, historical and philological interest have always been the focus of the journal, which has further expanded its scientific horizon, making it a periodical with a wide coverage. From this point of view, the sections “Publications”, ''Reviews'' and “Scientific Life” are always rich with coverage of such materials as, unpublished letters and works by prominent scientists and cultural figures, archival documents of various types, and reviews on important publications having Armenian, Oriental and common cultural value in the world. It can be definitely stated that the materials published in the HPhJ are distinguished by their rich and multi-layered source study and historiographical basis.
Numerous Armenian and foreign scientists from Transcaucasia, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Europe, countries of the Near and Middle East, America, actively participated in the activities of the journal over the years. Thus, among the foreign scientists who contributed to the journal were D. Angelov, V. Gyuzelev from Bulgaria; L. Motalova from Czechoslovakia; V. V. Bănăţeanu from Romania (who was also a member of the editorial board for many years); J. Bonfante, V. Pisani, P. Cuneo, A. Alpago-Novello from Italy; F. Feydin, J.-P. Mahen from France; R. Thomson, J. Greppin, R. Jacobson from the USA; S. Michael, M. Stone from Holland; J. Wittenberg from Belgium; E. Schütz, J. Trochany from Hungary; H. Walter Pohl from Germany; V. Toporov, O. Shirokov, T. Izmailova, A. Tereshchenko from Russia; I. Kripyakevich, N. Rashban, S. Averbuch, A. Zinchenko, S. Y. Dashkevich from Ukraine; I. Abuladze (he was also a member of the editorial board), D. Chkhikishvili, G. Melikishvili from Georgia; Vl. Besolov from the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania; M. Malek Mohammedin, A. Yahyamasihin from Iran; B. Bilmez from Turkey and others. Almost all prominent Armenologists from both Armenia and the Diaspora have also been published in the journal. Such a large involvement of the authors is evidence of the wide international recognition of the HPհJ, on the one hand, and of its high scientific reputation and authority, on the other. The letters of high appreciation from famous scientists of different countries addressed to the editorial board are also evidence of high reputation and authority of the periodical. The role of the journal was highly appreciated by H. Orbeli, V. Minorsky (London), K. Melik-Ohanjanyan, H. Siruni (Bucharest), H. Armen, H. Shalian (USA), representatives of the Mkhitaryans of Venice and Vienna, and others.
Summing up the activity of the HPհJ for the past seven decades, it can be confidently stated, that this Armenian studies periodical of NAS RA has brought together a great number of Armenologists from the motherland and foreign countries, has conducted a fruitful work to realize its programme goals and objectives. In that regard, the scientific and organizational value of the journal is especially notable, as the editorial staff of the periodical (long-term experience of the staff, the strong traditions, the ability to honorably present achievements in the area of the Armenian studies to the wide reading public) has readily organized, set the course and direction for the development of the Armenian studies.
The HPհJ has become a prestigious Armenian studies periodical gaining universal recognition in our country and beyond.
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