On his way to China, Marco Polo travelled through Armenia. He even obtained the autograph of King Hetoum (“Hayton”) in 1243. He called the country Greater Hermenia. In his book, Polo wrote: “This is a great country. It begins at a city called Arzinga, at which they weave the best buckrams [fine cloth with lustrous surface, highly prized in the Middle Ages] in the world. It possesses all the best baths from natural springs that are anywhere to be found. The people of the country are Armenians.” Polo wrote that the “noblest” city in Armenia was Arzinga and mentioned that there was a “very good silver mine” near Paipurth (Baiburt).

On his way to China, Marco Polo travelled through Armenia. He even obtained the autograph of King Hetoum (“Hayton”) in 1243. He called the country Greater Hermenia. In his book, Polo wrote: “This is a great country. It begins at a city called Arzinga, at which they weave the best buckrams [fine cloth with lustrous surface, highly prized in the Middle Ages] in the world. It possesses all the best baths from natural springs that are anywhere to be found. The people of the country are Armenians.” Polo wrote that the “noblest” city in Armenia was Arzinga and mentioned that there was a “very good silver mine” near Paipurth (Baiburt).