Anna Babajanyan

One of the more interesting items on display at the Hovhannes Tumanyan museum is the icebox that once stored all types of food items that the famous writer served the numerous visitors that paid a call to his Tiflis abode.

Tumanyan, who resettled in Tiflis, cherished the meals he ate as a child in his native Dsegh.

Known for his hospitality, Tumanyan would have the ice box stocked with cold drinks, fruits and vegetables to serve his guests.

After visiting Tumanyan, the writer Vahan Teryan once wrote a small ditty about his impressions: “Anyone who hasn’t sat down for a party at Tumanyan’s palace has yet to see laughter, has yet to see the world.”

The wooden ice box, lined with zinc, could keep a variety of perishables fresh for days.