Linotype Maral is based on an historic Armenian typeface which was originally designed by Henrik Mnatsakanyan. Hrant Papazian has revieved and digitized this four weight type family . Armenian keyboard drivers for Mac OS 9 (and under) as well as for Windows are included when any of the Linotype Maral fonts are purchased. These drivers must be installed before the fonts may be used properly. Linotype Maral will not function properly under Mac OS X, unless you are using the OpenType-format version, which does not work under OS 9! The Linotype Maral family includes four fonts: Linotype Maral Regular, Linotype Maral Oblique, Linotype Maral Bold, Linotype Maral Bold Oblique. The Armenian language is written with its own script. This script and its language are written and spoken in the Republic of Armenia and by the Armenian Diaspora. The Armenian alphabet first appeared around 406 A.D. Its creation is attributed to St. Miesrop Mashtots (died 441), but it is most likely an independent modification and extension of the Greek alphabet created by Gregorian denomination.* * (Source: The book Schrift- und Buchkunst, by Albert Kapr [Leipzig: 1982], references Quadra della storia letteraria della Armenia by Ph. Lukias Somal for this information)

From the standpoint of calligraphy, a font family of capitals and uncials makes perfect sense. The Roman square capitals, the quadrata, are matched by round capitals of older Greek origin; the word "uncus" means hook-shaped like a beak or talon. Interrelated and often interchangeable, these capital letters served as book hands for both the Latin West and the Greek-speaking East before they evolved into minuscule alphabets. The Testament family is based on the few formal capital manuscripts of the Bible, Virgil and Homer that have survived from the ancient world. Throughout the Middle Ages both uncials and square capitals were used, often together, for headings and initial characters. By their nature the Roman capitals are the voice of Caesar and hold the place of authority, while the uncials speak for the Church in a balanced relationship. In ancient times church and state were not as separate as they are now, and the alphabets were not as different as typographic tradition has made them. In this calligraphic rendering it is clear that they are of the same substance and can be written in the same style, conveying even to the modern eye the eternal and classical quality of epic and scripture. Testament comes in all popular font formats, and includes support for a vaster-than-usual range of Latin-based languages.

An old narrow Grotesque from Stempel’s early days (possibly Information Bold Condensed) revived and revised for photocomposition.