The frontispieces of Gevond Alishan's volumes dedicated to different states of Armenia, begin with presenting the engravings of this state collectively and according to his formed idea. Each of them outlines the collective history and culture of the area for the reader.

Alishan's first topographic volume is “Shirak”, which was published in 1881. The engraving of the frontispiece depicts wheat ears and in the background there are historical monuments, which is connected to the historical past of Shirak by a wheel and the wheat fields mentioned by Khorenatsi and the contemporary life of the state under the Russian govern by the guarantees of the life assurance.

In the “Sisvan” (1885) dedicated to the Armenian Cilicia, concerning with the policy of Turkish authorities directed to the physical extermination of the Armenians, the recital is more gloomy and has a historically emphasized direction. It is also expressed in the pictures of the first two pages of the book, which mainly represent the past. In both pictures the images of a bull and a lion attract attention. The Bull is the ancient Greek name associated with Cilicia, and the lion, in Latin called ghevond, symbolizes the Armenian state of Cilicia.

“Ayrarat” (1890) begins with the image of the flood, symbolizing the idea of repairing life, starting from Armenia, at the foot of Ararat.

As Syunik, like the provinces of Shirak and Ayrarat was also under Russian rule without the threat of annihilation, so the frontispiece of “Sisakan” depicts the rich historical past of Syunik with mountainous landscape and life going on next to the patriarchs of Syunik and inhabitants in rural costumes.

The frontispieces of Alishan's topographic volumes give a high artistic decoration to the pages of the book, they however are not only made for aesthetic purposes, but to demonstrate Alishan's point of view, mentality and understanding of the history, where the landscape becomes historical and acquires some traces of the past.