404-405 - The first parchment folios written in Mesropian uncials were put down in Samosate in 404-405. The first school and the first library were established in Vagharshapat in 405 and the history of the Yerevan Matenadaran starts from there.
Contemporary historians like Koriun, M. Khorenatsi, L. Parpetsi and historians of the later period certify that Greek and Syriac copies of the Bible and works of the Church Fathers were collected there from Edessa, Alexandria, Caesarea and elsewhere.
 
405- 440 - Saint. Sahak and Mesrop Mashtots opened schools in Armenia, which was the divided between Persia and Rome. Matenadarans were created in the schools opened in the monasteries. Manuscripts of the Armenian translation of the Bible and the first works of original literature were copied and multiplied here. Rhetoric, grammar, philosophy and mathematics were taught alongside with the Bible; especially the art of calligraphy was paid great attention to in the monastic schools.

441-1441 - History of the 5^th-15^th centuries gives little information about the scriptorium of Vagharshapat. It is known that during those centuries the priors of Etchmiadzin were: Ghazar Parpetsi in 483, Koriun in 565, Abraham in 596 and Hovhanik in 618.  Priors were preserving and taking care of the monastery matenadaran. Unstable political situation, wars and plundering, invasions of enemies’ armies compelled to the transference of the  Patriarchal See to Dvin (5th century-930), Aghtamar (930-950), Argina (950-992), Ani (992-1065), Tsamndav (1065-1070), Areg (1070-1072), Mutarsun (1072-1105), Shugr (1105-1116), Tsovk (1116-1149), Hromkla (1149-1292) and Sis (1292-1441). Holy objects of Etchmiadzin and the most precious parts of the rich literature of the Matenadaran were transferred from place to place with the Patriarchal See. Manuscripts remaining in the monastery were either moved to more secure monasteries to be concealed from the attacks of the enemies or were subject to robbery and plundering. However Etchmiadzin never stopped being a scriptorium.

1441 - After a long wander the Patriarchal See was again transferred from Sis to Holy Etchmiadzin.

1512 - Hacob Meghapart published Urbatagirk, the first Armenian printed book, in Amsterdam. Its copies are still preserved in the Matenadaran.
    
17^th century - In the first quarter of this century invasions, tax collections and plundering brought Armenia to the edge of desertion. In spite of this manuscripts kept being copied in Etchmiadzin and other scriptoria.

1623-1632 - Catholicos Movses Siunetsi paid great attention to the preservation of the Matenadaran, manuscript copying and expansion. Gradually the Etchmiadzin monastic Matenadaran became one of the richest in Armenia and returned its name of Main Matenadaran.

1633-1655 - Catholicos Pilippos Aghbaketsi spread energetic constructive activities. He repaired the monastery, built the church tower, reopened the monastic school and commended copies of various manuscripts.

1655-1680 - Under the pontificate of Hacob Jughayetsi constructive activities were extended. He paid particular attention to the Matenadaran improvement and collecting of new manuscripts and printed books. Numerous scholars worked in the Echmiadzin monastery.

1691-1705 - Under the pontificate of Catholicos Nahapet Urhayetsi the Matenadaran was under his personal supervision and members of the Congregation could apply to the literature only by the authorization of the Catholicos.

1771 - The first printing house in Armenia was established in Etchmiadzin. Numerous books published there have come down to us and are now kept in the Matenadaran.

19^th century. Turkish-Persian, then Russian-Persian and Russian-Turkish ruinous wars left their traces on the Echmiadzin monastery and Matenadaran. A great number of manuscripts and Church utensils were robbed and plundered.

1809-1827 - Catholicos Eprem managed to restore the monastery economy, to perform constructing and repairing works. The robbed and plundered Matenadaran became an object of permanent care. It was restored and enriched with new manuscripts.

1828 - Archimandrite Manuel Gumushkhanetsi is commissioned by Nerses Ashtaraketsi to carry out the Matenadaran ordering. Archimandrite Manuel certifies that the Matenadaran possessed about 1809 manuscripts, which were accounted and sealed by a special seal. Rules were established how to use the Matenadaran manuscripts.

1832-1849 - Hovhannes Shahkhatuniants was nominated director of the Matenadaran and the printing house. In 1837, by order of the Synod, Shahkhatuniants assumed the responsibility of the Matenadaran ordering and of writing a new catalogue of manuscripts and printed books. His Catalogue is a simple list of the 2740 manuscripts and 2298 printed books kept in the Matenadaran in 1837, without any bibliographical detail.

1849-1860 - The everyday care and diligence needed by the Matenadaran were neglected. This situation brought many difficulties for its next directors. The Matenadaran was “in such a desperate situation” that “every one who saw it felt compassion”.

1860-1862 - Archimandrite Daniel Shahnazariants was appointed director of the Matenadaran. His was charged to put the Matenadaran in order and to write a new catalogue of manuscripts. In a year the Matenadaran was put in order.

1861-1863 - The Catalogue was finished and sent to Tiflis to Hacob Kareniants who assumed the expenses of its publication. In 1863 the Catalogue was published and it is known as “Kareniants' Catalogue” by specialists.

1866-1882 - The role and merit of Catholicos Gevork IV was great in preserving the Matenadaran, collecting and rescuing manuscripts. Parallel with reformative and constructive activities he was attentively and carefully following the Matenadaran restoration and especially new manuscripts collection. With special encyclicals he commissioned Diocese Primates and spiritual leaders to collect and rescue manuscripts and to send them to Echmiadzin.

1868-1888 - Archimandrite Nerses Khudaverdian assumed the position of the Matenadaran director. The number of Armenian manuscripts reached 2383.

1881 - To rescue the Matenadaran treasures and to enrich the collection Catholicos Gevork IV re-established one of the ancient customs of the Armenian Church. According to it after the death of monks all their estates were inherited by the monastery, which congregation member they were. For instance, during his lifetime the Catholicos himself bequeathed manuscripts and printed books to the Echmiadzin Matenadaran, thus founding the “Gevorkian Collection” of the Matenadaran.

1888-1897 - Archimandrite Sahak Amatuni succeeded to Archimandrite Nerses.  
1892 - Archimandrite Sahak Amatuni numbered anew the manuscripts and wrote a short Catalogue.

1893-1908 - The collection of the Matenadaran was increased with 572 manuscripts. This period coincided with the years when Sahak Amatuni, Garegin Hovsepian and Mesrop Ter-Movsisian were the Matenadaran directors. At the end of 1908 the number of the “Gevorkian Collection” manuscripts reached 1354, and the main collection reached 3737.

1909 - Catholicos Matevos Izmirlian sent a circular encyclical to the Diocese Primates asking them to collect manuscripts kept in churches and in private collections and to send them to Echmiadzin.

1894-1915 - This period of the Matenadaran history coincides with the period of the deportations and massacres of Western Armenians. 991 valuable manuscripts were saved and brought to the Echmiadzin Matenadaran. In 1915 the collection of manuscripts increased up to 4660.

1916 – A new building was erected in the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin for the Matenadaran and Mesrop Ter-Movsisian played a great role in its building and furnishing. Simultaneously with collecting manuscripts he started to create the General Catalogue of Armenian Manuscripts.

1915-1920 – To keep manuscripts and other valuable objects of the monastery away from the World War I possible consequences, in 1915 they were transferred to Moscow and kept in the apses of the Armenian Holy Cross Church.

1915 - On their way of flight from massacres, persecuted and hungry Western Armenians saved with them and took to Eastern Armenia and diverse countries of the world only a little part of thousands manuscripts kept in Western Armenia monastic matenadarans. Numerous monasteries, churches, villages, cities, museums and matenadarans were plundered and destroyed by Turkish vandals. Armenian manuscripts share the faith and sufferings of the people who created them.

Besides the 4660 manuscripts taken to Moscow during the World War I, in 1915 the Echmiadzin Matenadaran received manuscripts rescued from the Genocide: 1545 units from Vaspurakan and 83 from Tavriz. 1730 manuscripts purchased by the Matenadaran were added to them.

1920-1938: By the decree of December 17, 1920, all Armenian cultural institutions were nationalized by the Revolutionary Committee of Armenian SSR. The Matenadaran of Echmiadzin was also nationalized and taken under the direction of the People Instruction Committee. In 1921 the Matenadaran, the museum and the printing house of Echmiadzin were united and Echmiadzin Cultural-historical institute was founded. On April 19, 1921, Senekerim Ter-Hacobian was appointed Commissar and director of the Institute on the order of People Instruction Commissar A. Hovhannisian.

1922 - 4660 manuscripts brought to Moscow during World War I were transferred to Armenia by the order of A. Miasnikian, President of the Council of People Commissars, and added to the collected manuscripts. Thus, on the eve of the Soviet Regime instauration 6419 manuscripts were saved from destruction, from which 6137 Armenian manuscripts and 282 manuscripts in foreign languages.

1938 - The 1154 manuscripts of the Literature museum were added to the Matenadaran collection.

1939-1954 - The Matenadaran was transferred from Echmiadzin to Yerevan on the decision of the People Instruction Committee of Armenian SSR. One part of the second floor of the present A. Miasnikian National Library and the third floor nearly entirely were allocated to the Matenadaran. The number of the Matenadaran manuscripts transferred to Yerevan had reached 9382: 9070 Armenian manuscripts, 311 foreign manuscripts and 22 talismans.

1944-1957 - Mark Grigorian, chief architect of Yerevan and his workshop were commissioned to establish the plan of the new building of the Matenadaran. In 1957 its construction was achieved.

1954-1982 - Under the directorship of Levon Khachikian bibliographical, textological and source studying spheres developed. Relations with centers and chairs of Armenian studies abroad were deepened.

Day after day the Matenadaran became more accessible and available for the people through its publications. Due to scientists studying the Matenadaran funds, Armenian centuries old cultural values deserved great attention. The Yerevan Matenadaran named after Mashtots became the pride of the nation, the evidence of the existence of Armenians in Armenia and Diaspora.

1959 - Activities of the Matenadaran arose after its transformation into Institute of Scientific Research attached to the Council of Ministers of the Armenian SSR

1964 - Beginning with 1964 and with the support of “Galuste Gulbenkian” Foundation the collection of the Matenadaran printed literature was completed and various publication projects were realized.

1982 - Sen Arevshatian succeeded to Levon Khachikian at the post of the Matenadaran director. In 1983 the collection of the Matenadaran manuscripts consisted of 10,913 Armenian manuscripts, 2,243 foreign manuscripts, 389 Armenian talismans, 2,034 Armenian and 115 foreign fragments of manuscripts.

1993 - The Matenadaran building, air-condition and security systems of the depository were renovated with the support of Alec Manikin, Armenian benefactor from USA, and Armenian General Benevolent Union.

1998 - The Matenadaran was listed in the UNESCO World Memory Register.

2001- The Matenadaran participated to numerous exhibitions devoted to the 1700^th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity in Armenia and scientific meetings. “Friends of the Matenadaran Benevolent Fund” was created to coordinate efforts of individuals and institutions sponsoring the Matenadaran.

2002 - The building of the Matenadaran was completely renovated in the frame of cultural institutions renovating program implemented by the “Lanky Fund” of Kirk Kirkorian.

The Matenadaran was transferred under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Armenia as “Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, Matenadaran”.

Today 14,000 Armenian and 3,000 foreign manuscripts, more than 100.000 archive documents, 2,280 old printed books and 100,000 units of printed literature, 25,000 old and new periodicals are kept in the Matenadaran.