Miscellaneous - Cyprus

Armig Nadjarian Livie collection - Nicosia, Cyprus

This collection was put at our disposal by Armig Nadjarian Livie during an event organised by Houshamadyan in Cyprus in May 2016. Armig’s paternal and maternal ancestors all hailed from Adana. Some of the items in this collection are from Adana and are currently in Armig Nadjarian Livie's possession in Nicosia, Cyprus, where she currently resides. Armig Nadjarian Livie's mother, Nouritza Nadjarian (born Shahabian) was born in Nicosia on in 1928. Her father, Vahakn Nadjarian, was also born in Nicosia in 1925. Armig Nadjarian Livie's paternal grandparents were both born in Adana - her grandfather Levon Nadjarian was born in Adana in 1884, and her grandmother Zarouhi Madjarian was also born in Adana. Armig Nadjarian Livie's maternal grandparents were also born in Adana, their names are Armenak Shahabian and Lousia Shahabian.

Hand embroidered pillowcase from Adana.

Belt buckle from the family collection.

These photographs are part of the Nadjarian Livie collection, however the identities of the people who are photographed are unknown.

1. The Cypriot birth certificate of Vahakn Nadjarian, he is Armig Nadjarian Livie's father, he was born in Cyprus in 1925 to parents who had immigrated from Adana.

2. The Cypriot identity card of Artin Shahabian who is Armig's relative on the maternal side of her family. It is mentioned on the ID card that Artin Shahabian was born in Ourfa in 1891.

3. The identities of the people in this photograph are unknown.

A thorn piece of what appears to be a pillowcase. It is hand embroidered.

An interesting item brought from Adana, this box has a religious-Christian motive, it was used during family gatherings. There are folded leaflets in the box, each contains a quote from the Bible. The explanation note on how to use the box can be seen on the right and it reads:

What are the reading cards with religious quotes in this box for?

This is the best thing to offer visitors and guests during Easter, Christmas and other days when they come for a visit. Secular people offer cigarettes and other things to their visitors, while believers offer what they have.

As such, you can have a spiritual conversation with your guests using God’s Word, instead of having meaningless conversations.

For those reading the cards:

  1. 1-After being read, each card should be placed back in the box
  2. 2-The cards do not serve for reading your luck or destiny
  3. 3-Try to gain a blessing after reading the cards with the quotes
  1. If it has happened in your life, praise the Lord
  2. If it corresponds to your current situation, accept it
  3. If it corresponds to your future, do not forget it

We often read chapters or section from the Bible, however sometimes taking one quotation and focusing on it can be more of a blessing, so try to use these cards with this in mind.

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” 6. 6, 7.

An example from the cards in the box, which have a quote from the Bible written on them each.

This text, which is from John 4:13 translates:

“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.”

The prayer box with all the rolled cards with quotes from the Bible. 

Embroidered pillowcase. The signature on the top left reads: Rosa Ebrekjian, the same as on the previous embroidered pillow case in the collection. The date is 1915. It is assumed that the embroidery was made in 1915 by Rosa Ebrekjian; however, the signature in ink was clearly added later.

Annie Sarkisian Demirdjian collection - Nicosia, Cyprus

This photograph and saddlebag belong to Anni Sarkisian-Demirdjian’s family who were originally from Kayseri/Gesaria and are currently kept as part of the family collection with Annie who resides in Nicosia, Cyprus. These mementos were put at our disposal by Annie Sakisian-Demirdjian during an event organized by Houshamadyan in Cyprus in May, 2016.

Kouyoumdjian family members in Kayseri. Standing from left to right are Karnig Kouyoumdjian and Onnig Kouyoumdjian. Seated from left to right are: Hadjigül Kouyoumdjian (born Kassardjian) and Sultan Sarkisian (born Kassardjian), Annie’s paternal grandmother.

Hadjigül Kassardjian-Kouyoumdjian is Annie Sarkisian-Dermidjian’s grandmother's (Sultan Kassardjian-Sarkisian, born in Kayseri in 1898) older sister, while Karnig Kouyoumdjian and Onnig Kouyoumdjian are her sons.

Saddlebag, woven carpet and leather, Kayseri/Gesaria.

This saddlebag, heybe as they would call it in Turkish, was made by Annie Sarkisian-Demirdjian’s grandmother and grandfather: Sultan & Krikor Sarkisians, who brought it with them to Cyprus when they moved here in 1932 from Kayseri/Gesaria.

Stitching, weaving and lock details from the saddlebag.

Talar Kouyoumdjian and Georges Torossian collection - Nicosia, Cyprus

This collection was put at Houshamadyan's disposal by Talar Kouyoumdjian who currently resides in Nicosia, Cyprus. Part of the collection belongs to Talar Kouyoumdjian’s maternal side of the family and some mementos belong to her husband's side of the family. The Kouyoumdjians (Talar’s paternal side of the family) were originally from Adana having arrived from Palu to Cilicia, while the Aynedjians (Talar’s maternal side of the family) were also from Adana, the family had cotton farms in the village of Abdoglu, south of Adana.

Victoria Aynedjian Manoukian, Talar Kouyoumdjian’s maternal great-grandmother, was born in 1904 Adana, died in Nicosia, Cyprus in 1986.

Nazar Manoukian (born Aynedjian), Talar Kouyoumdjian’s maternal great-grandfather, was also born in Adana, and died in Cyprus in 1958.

Talar Kouyoumdjian’s maternal grandmother, Ardemise Manoukian (later Libaridian) was born in 1927 Alexandrette (Iskenderun, present-day Hatay) and died in Nicosia Cyprus in 2015.

Both sides of the gold pendent depicting religious scenes.

The pendent was a present from Victoria Manoukian (born Aynedjian) to her great-granddaughter Talar Kouyoumdjian on her christening day.

1. Seated from left to right are: Victoria Manoukian (born Aynedjian) and Nazar Manoukian. Ardemise, their daughter, Talar Kouyoumdjian’s maternal grandmother, is barely a year old and is standing on a stool between Victoria and Nazar. The little boy standing on the right is Ardemise’s brother, Giragos. The young lady standing on the left is Marie, whom they called kouyrig, meaning sister in Armenian, was an orphan adopted by Victoria and Nazar; Nazar was sentenced to death and was on a gibbet, but he survived by chance and thus made a vow to adopt and save an orphan.

Victoria Manoukian (born Aynedjian) is wearing the gold cross around her neck. The cross is in this collection.

2. This photograph was sent to Takouhi Kouyoumdjian and the writing on the backside of the photograph reads:

  1. Dear Mrs Takouhi Kouyoumdjian,
  2. My dear sister
  3. Please accept this family photograph as a memory token.
  4. With sincere love,
  5. Your sister who misses you terribly,
  6. Victoria Manoukian
  7. 28 February, 1928

The different sides of a metal spinning top with Armenian instructions on it.

Each player would have his/her metal spinning top. When they turn comes, they would spin the top and the result would be the side of the spinning top facing up, we assume that there should also be some pawns with these metal tops, which would be used as part of a board game drawn on a canvas or on the ground…

The different sides of the spinning top read the following instructions: take 1, put 1, take 2, put 2, take all, each player should put 1.

The spinning top is about 3 cm high.

The Torossians (Talar Kouyoumdjian's husband's family) were originally from Birejik/Birecik on the paternal side and Tarsus on the maternal side.

This silver embroidered scarf or table runner belonged to Shake Torossian’s (Georges Torossian’s grandmother) grandmother from Tarsus (Georges Torossian's great-grandmother), Shake got is as a present from her grandmother. The scarf is from Tarsus and is currently kept as part of the Kouyoumdjian-Torossian family collection in Cyprus.

Golden bracelet from the family collection. There are engravings of deer and other animals on it.

Georges Torossian is Torossian from both paternal and maternal sides of the family.

Georges torossian’s mother is Aznive Torossian, and her mother is Shake Torossian, whose father is Samuel Torossian. Bahar Torossian is Samuel Torossian's wife. This bracelet belonged to Bahar’s grandmother, it is George Torossian’s mother’s great-great grandmother’s bracelet.

Shake Torossian was born 1918 in Tarsus and died in Beirut 2003; her father Samuel Torossian was also from Tarsus.

1. This document was issued by the Spanish vice consulate in Adana, on the 8th of November, 1921. It is a pass given to Nazar Manoukian (who is Talar Kouyoumdjian’s maternal great-grandfather, who was born in Adana) and his wife. Nazar Manoukian had repatriated from Boston USA to serve in the Armenian legion auxiliary to the French army. The document also asks of its addressees to grant free access to Nazar and his wife also offering them help, if needed, during their travel.

2. This photograph was taken in the late 1920’s, Ardemise Manoukian, aged two, is standing on the right, next to her brother Giragos Manoukian who is sitting on the left.

Golden cross from the family collection.

This Gold cross was a wedding present to Victoria Aynedjian who married Nazar Manoukian; Nazar was originally from Adana and the family later moved to Alexandrette (Iskenderun, present-day Hatay). Nazar and Victoria’s daughter Ardemise Libaridian (born Manoukian) was born in Alexandrette in 1927. Victoria gave this gold cross to her daughter Ardemise Libaridian (born Manoukian) who later gave it to her granddaughter Talar Kouyoumdjian.