By Ruth Bedevian

TSAGHKADZOR, ARMENIA

Orbeli Brothers Monument
(© K. Vrtanesyan)

Despite the light drizzle of rain and overcast clouds of a late
October day, Geraseem and Marineh Megerdichian stood on the portico of
the Orbeli Brothers’ Museum in Tsaghkadzor and eagerly greeted our
party of three with warm smiles. Before we introduced ourselves,
Marineh candidly revealed her curiosity and queried, `What is your
interest in the Orbeli brothers and why have you come here today?’ I
straightforwardly responded, `I knew nothing about these brothers!’ I
then embellished with my own question, `What better source should I
seek to learn about them?’

Orbeli Museum
(© K. Vrtanesyan)

The museum is a 40 minute ride north west from Yerevan and is nestled
in the Kotyak Province in a desirable resort area which was the
training center for the former Soviet Olympic ski team. It is an
exceptional museum in that it is devoted to three brothers who each
rendered major achievements in their respective careers and brought
international recognition to themselves and to their nation. [In
birth order] `RUBEN, LEVON and HOVSEP (Joseph) are revered today by
the Armenian people for their professional distinction, but also, and
more importantly, because they distinguished themselves in their
humane endeavors,’ declared Marineh, who has been the director of the
museum since 1983, taking over the responsibility from her husband,
Geraseem, who was the original curator when the museum was founded in
1980 and who was formerly the Director of the History Faculty of
Ethnography of Yerevan State University. (The official opening of the
museum took place in 1982 on the 100th year anniversary of Levon’s
birth). Marineh continued, `By no means were the Orbelis wealthy,
although they descended from a princely family – the Orbelian clan.’

Orbeli Family Photo
(© K. Vrtanesyan)

Ruben, the eldest (1880-1943), was the father of underwater
archaeology in the USSR. Levon (1882-1958) was a famous physiologist
and member of the Soviet Academy of Sciences; the youngest, Hovsep
(1887-1961), was a leading Orientalist and director of the Hermitage
Museum in Leningrad. Only one brother (Levon) was born in Tsaghkadzor,
but all three spent their childhood years there. The building in
which over 2000 items are archived was the home of Abcar Orbeli
(father of Ruben, Levon and Hovsep), an alumnus of the Law School of
St. Petersburg University who worked in the Czar’s service. From
correspondence it was learned that Khrimian Hayrig had invited Abcar
to Etchmiadzin, the Holy See, for tea in 1896. Following such a
privileged visit with the Catholicos of All Armenians, he wrote to a
friend, `He’s a pretty good fellow!’

Vartanoush, the mother, came from a noble family and was well
educated. Marineh informed us that she was educated in Tiflis and
taught French. Obviously enjoying her narrative of this remarkable
mother, Marineh quoted Vartanoush’s advice to her sons, `Study well
and become famous so I will become famous!’ Vartanoush was also fond
of saying that she graduated four times – once on her own and three
times more for each son. The Orbelis’ paternal grandfather was a
priest (Father Hovsep) who had served in Astrahkan, Tbilisi and
St. Petersburg.

We strolled pleasantly through six rooms of memorabilia which included
copies of published scientific works and photographs of relatives who
were outstanding in dentistry and psychiatry. Both Geraseem and
Marineh’s anecdotes created lively history. Marineh related that
Davit Orbeli – the paternal uncle – is credited with saving the famous
revolutionary, Kamo. Kamo pretended to be insane in order to escape
punishment. Davit who was a prominent and respected psychiatrist, was
asked to examine him. He declared that he was not pretending and Kamo
was freed.’ A trilogy of films were produced at Hyefilm in the 1970s
about Kamo (“Andzamb Tchanachum Em” (‘I Personally Know Him’) and
“Artakarg Handznararutyun” (‘Extraordinary Recommendation’) directed
by S. Kevorkov and E. Karamian, and “Kamoyi Verjin Sxranqy” (‘Kamo’s
Final Exploit’) directed by S. Kevorkov and G. Melik-Avagyan), and
Davit Orbeli’s work is reflected in one of the films, although he is
left unnamed.

Rich in artifacts, the museum’s sources derive from Levon’s daughter,
granddaughter and the Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg, Russia). A
wealth of information has also been documented in plentiful
correspondence that has been given by family members and friends.
These archived letters have richly added to the chronicle of the
Orbeli brothers – their personal and professional lives as well as
their contributions. Hovsep Orbeli’s silver medals and photo at
Nuremberg were very thought provoking.

RUBEN – the first born- and whose room we entered first, knew 12
languages. He graduated from Law School (like his father) from
St. Petersburg University. He became a state senator and secretary of
the Arbitration Commission prior to the 1917 revolution. After the
revolution, he redirected his career and became one of the first
underwater archeologists, concentrating much of his work in the Black
Sea and the River Buk. He authored books and papers on scientific
diving and became a noted authority on the history of ancient diving
techniques in Greece and Rome. A paper he prepared on his study of
Leonardo DaVinci’s research on diving technologies is on display. His
PHD thesis was on Ancient Armenian Marriage Law.

Levon’s Desk
(© K. Vrtanesyan)

LEVON, the middle child, founded the Physiology Institute of Armenia
in Yerevan (1946). Orbeli Street in Yerevan is named after him. His
national fame grew to international fame as evidenced in the following
quote from The Nation Magazine, `One need hardly mention such names as
Pavlov, ‘Speransky, and [Levon] Orbeli, … to remind us of Czarist
Russia’s high achievements in medicine.’ Levon attended a Military
Medical School and studied under the world famous Ivan Pavlov, 1904
Nobel Prize Laureate. Geraseem said that a close association and
respect formed between teacher and student and that Levon’s future
work took direction from Pavlov’s influence. Both scientists’
upbringing gave them much in common as Pavlov came from a family also
grounded in humane purpose as well. At the age of 26 Levon published
his doctorate and for the next three years of his life he visited
Germany, England and Denmark. He was knowledgeable in seven
languages. In 1929 Levon visited Boston to participate in the
International Congress of Physiologists. He most enjoyed a trip to
the seashore. In 1942 he was appointed director of the Military School
and attained the rank of General. He adopted his 6 year old natural
grandson when his daughter, a physicist died through a radioactive
experiment. He autopsied the body of his own daughter. He pioneered
the study of aviation and cosmic health for pilots and astronauts and
for this achievement he was bestowed an honorary member of London
University. The cap he received on this occasion is on display. Levon
anonymously provided funds for many Armenian medical students to study
at St. Petersburg University.

Hovsep Orbeli’s testimony at Nuremberg Trials
(Hovsep Orbeli is on the left)

HOVSEP, the youngest, founded the Armenian Academy of Sciences and
presided as its first president (1943). He was born in Tiflis (1887),
and graduated from St. Petersburg University, majoring in History. In
his 3rd year, he took part in the excavations of Ani which at that
time attracted much of the Armenian intelligentsia. He launched his
career with this experience in Ani which was a center of Armenian
Architecture and a prototype for much of European structures. By 1924
he was appointed the Head of the Oriental Section of the Hermitage
Museum. He later went to London during an exhibition of Iranian Art
where the Second International Congress of Art was held. He was
successful in bringing the 3rd International Congress to the
Hermitage. Geraseem related an account which revealed much about the
unselfish devotion of this man. He melted all his personal household
silver to make medals for the 188 participants for this International
Congress. A sample was on display. Embossed on the medal coin was a
mythological Iranian figure. He worked for 31 years in the Hermitage
of which he was director for seventeen years. He was director during
the blockade during World War II when the art was saved from the Nazis
by being sent to Sverdlovsk. A photograph in the museum showed him
participating in the Nuremberg Trials as a witness to the destruction
of art during World War II.

Readers interested in reading by the Orbelis can find few books in
English, such as Hovsep Orbeli’s “Sasanian and Early Islamic
Metalwork. A Survey of Persian Art from Prehistoric Times to the
Present” (London – New York, 1938). As for books about them in
Armenian and Russian:

Shilinis Yu. A., “L. A. Orbeli (1882-1958)”, Moscow 1967
Karapetyan S. K., “L. A. Orbeli: Zhizn i nauchnaya deyatel’nost'”
(“L. A. Orbeli: life and scientific activities”), Yerevan 1973
“L. A. Orbeli v vospominaniax sovremennikov”
(“L. A. Orbeli as remembered by his contemporaries”), Leningrad, 1983
Yuzbashian K., “Akademikos Hovsep Abgari Orbeli”, Yerevan, 1971
Megrelidze I. V., “Iosif Orbeli”, Tbilisi, 1983