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Or 16751

Record Id:

032-003390404

Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:

032-003390404

MDARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100050844036.0x0000f2

LARK:

SLARK:

Format:

ISAD(G)

Reference (shelfmark):

Or 16751

Title:

West African Illuminated Qur'an and Carrying Case

Scope & Content:

Very fine West African copy of the Qur'an. Presented to Lieutenant Lancelot Heygate, Royal Engineers, in Nigeria by Serikim Owdu (?) of Makurdi, Benue River, Nigeria around 1916 and sent by him to his father, Canon Ambrose Heygate, in Cheshire, with a letter detailing provenance. The letter says that "it was written by one Bukarrh, of Wadai, in the Sudan" and suggests (inaccurately) that it shortly post-dates the expulsion of Muslims from Spain in the late 15th century. The manuscript was probably copied in Nigeria. Several illuminations of geometric patterns throughout the text (ff. 1v, 59r, 121r, 185v). Medallions occur on appoximately every fifth folio. Red trefoils with yellow pigment (now faded to brown) denote each verse ending. At every fifth verse ending the trefoil is replaced with a red heart-shaped mark outlined in black and at every tenth verse by a minature double-ringed medallion. There are rectilinear markings in right or left-hand margins, consisting of an Arabic letter boxed in by grid-like "towers" on four sides or alternatively a more elaborate structure of trefoils and hooked lines of unclear function. The colour of these markings changes from red to black ink after the first 20 or so folios. There are additions or corrections to the text and interlinear and rectilinear markings with blacker ink in places throughout the text, and a change in ink from brown to black from folio 63, although the hand is possibly the same. Intertextual markings become less accomplished. Folio 89 returns to brown. The paper of several folios is browner, bearing a less horned tre lune mark. The verso of the last folio is unvocalised with no intertextual markings, perhaps unfinished. No formal end to the work (by use of illumination, et cetera).

Collection Area:

Oriental Manuscripts

Project / Collection:

West African Arabic Manuscripts

Hierarchy Tree:

[{ "id" : "032-003390404", "parent" : "#", "text" : "Or 16751: West African Illuminated Qur'an and Carrying Case" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} }]

Hierarchy Record Ids:

032-003390404

Is part of:

not applicable

Hierarchy:

032-003390404

Container:

not applicable

Record Type (Level):

Fonds

Extent:

254 ff

Digitised Content:

Languages:

Arabic

Scripts:

Arabic

Start Date:

1800

End Date:

1916

Date Range:

Mid 19th century

Era:

Access:

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User Conditions:

Physical Characteristics:

Material: leather carrying case, two goatskin boards either side of text block, thin brown paper.

Paper: Closely spaced with large chain line every 3cm. Hooked tre lune watermark.

Dimensions: 210x160mm.

Foliation: British Museum foliation in pencil.

Script: medium Central Sudanic.

Ink: brown for text, red for chapter headings and vocalisation, yellow for hamzas and trefoils. Red, black and brown inks for medallions and illuminations.

Ruling: 17 lines per page. No margin lines.

Binding: loose leaf. Text block held between two square pieces of goatskin. This seems to be cotemporaneous with the text block. originally held in portable "saddlebag" carrying case made entirely of leather. Main body of the carrying case is of light brown and soft (suede-like) leather with sections of dark brown and black made of harder, shinier pieces and attached to the main bag with densely stitched brown leather thread. Flap features decorative double squares with stitched pattern in the middle flanked by black leather border and with wider embossed black strip at the top and has leather strap. Below the flap is a horseshoe-shaped piece of brown leather holding a thong for the strap. Carrying strap of twisted leather attached to either side of bag. Bag stitched with cotton or thin leather thred. Inside the bag is a second embossed case resembling the spine of a book in which to place the text block.

Condition: complete work. No colophon. Condition of text block largely good, although some edges are frayed and last forty folios in a poorer condition. Carrying bag generally good, despite some stiffening of the shiner leather but otherwise in good condition .

Marginalia: occasional, Arabic

Custodial History:

Usage Statement: The West African manuscripts published in digitised format by the British Library are to the best of our knowledge not in copyright under the law of their countries of origin. While it is not possible to be certain about the origin of all the manuscripts, our research suggests that they come from Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal and/or The Gambia.

The British Library recognises broader interests in the cultural heritage which the West African manuscripts represent. They are often of a religious nature, and the Library has taken considerable care not to distort or alter the underlying material. We ask users also to show appropriate respect in reusing the digital images of the West African manuscripts, which should not be altered or reused in ways that might be derogatory or offensive to those communities for whom they are of special cultural importance.

The letter detailing provenance is an 'orphan work'.

Source of Acquisition:

Purchased by the British Library in 2010.

Arrangement:

loose-leaf

Administrative Context:

Place of origin: West Africa

Exhibitions:

West Africa: Word, Symbol, Song, (online), 16 October 2015-

Material Type:

Archives and Manuscripts

Legal Status:

Not Public Record(s)