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RSPA 23
- Record Id:
- 032-004380750
- Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:
- 032-004380750
- MDARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100169708454.0x000053
- LARK:
- SLARK:
- Format:
- TEI
- Reference (shelfmark):
- RSPA 23
- Title:
- 1 copy of Shāh-nāmah by Abū 'l-Qāsim Firdawsī
- Collection Area:
- Oriental Manuscripts
- Project / Collection:
- India Office Library
Jones Collection
Royal Society Arabic and Persian - Hierarchy Tree:
- [{ "id" : "032-004380750", "parent" : "#", "text" : "RSPA 23: 1 copy of Shāh-nāmah by Abū 'l-Qāsim Firdawsī" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} }]
- Hierarchy Record Ids:
- 032-004380750
- Is part of:
- not applicable
- Hierarchy:
- 032-004380750
- Container:
- not applicable
- Record Type (Level):
- Fonds
- Extent:
- ff.ii+441+iii
- Digitised Content:
- Languages:
- Persian
- Scripts:
- Arabic
- Start Date:
- 1599
- End Date:
- 1599
- Date Range:
- 1599
- Calendar:
- Hijri-qamari
- Era:
- CE
- Access:
-
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- User Conditions:
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- Material Type:
- Archives and Manuscripts
- Legal Status:
- Not Public Record(s)
- Names:
- Fatḥī ibn Khwājah Shāh Maḥmūd
Firdausi, poet, 940-1019,
see also http://viaf.org/viaf/101359236 - Subjects:
- Epic poetry, Persian
- TEI:
-
India Office Library
Jones Collection
Royal Society Arabic and Persian
RSPA 23
Contents
1 copy of Shāh-nāmah by Abū 'l-Qāsim Firdawsī
Language(s): Persian
ff. 1v-441rTitle: Shāh-nāmahTitle: شاهنامهIncipit: سپاس وآفرین خدایرا جل جلاله که جهانرا وآن جهانرا آفریدExplicit: هزاران درود و هزاران سلام زما بر محمد علیه السلامColophon: تمت الکتاب بعون الملک الوهاب فی غرة شهر ربیع الاول سنه ثمان والف بعد الهجرة النبویة المصطفوة علیه أفضل الصلوات وأکمل التحیة علی ید الفقیر المحتاج إلی رحمتهة الله الملک المنان فتحی ابن خواجه شاه محمودOn f441v, Jones has written in black ink: "I finished the reading of this book a second time, 3 Nov. 1787 Calcutta".
The copyist's name is Fatḥī ibn Khwājah Shāh Maḥmūd.
The quire of very thin white paper (ff.159-184) was added later by a second hand. It contains the story of Barzū and Sūsan.
On both f1v and f2r there is a full page illuminated headpiece of blue and gold floral design. On f6v, the start of the poem proper, there is a much smaller headpiece above the beginning of the textblock. Gilded ruled margins.
Physical Description
Form: codexMaterial: paperSupport: Very thin brown woven paper which has mostly been laminated for protection. One quire is composed of an even thinner white woven paper.Extent: ff.ii+441+iiiDimensions (leaf): 310 × 180 mm.Dimensions (written): 230 × 120 mm.Foliation:Perso-Arab numerals in black ink (excepting the added-in quire). European numerals in pencil.
Condition
Good condition. Guards and supports.
Layout
Columns:4
Written lines: 30
Poem is written in four columns of thirty lines. Preface is written in blank prose (one column per side). There are some folios (e.g.f439v-440r) which are written in geometric designs. There is a large stain on f49r.
Hand(s)
Very small and neat black ink nastaʿlīq.
Decoration
Additions:There are marginal comments on almost every folio. These are predominantly in pencil by Jones and are in a mixture of English, Latin, Arabic and Persian. In some places he writes out the translation or transliteration of words or rewrites a difficult-to-read word (e.g.f6v, f166r - all notes of a linguistic nature). In other places he comments on the quality of the poetry (e.g. f378 or f12), narrates the story (e.g. f44v in which he narrates the story but gets it wrong and has to correcth himself). He also marks where he reaches in the text with the date (e.g. f377v).
There are some, very few, marginal notes in other hands, principally that of the scribe (e.g. f7r, f158v).
Binding
Standard India Office half leather binding with wine coloured marbled endpapers.
Accompanying Material
There are many seals on f1r. Only one seal remains legible, that of ʿAbd al-Maʿbūd Khān. Others are partially legible.
History
Origin: 1599-09-21 1_Rabīʿ al-Awwal_1008 AH; 21 September 1599 CE ; IndiaProvenance and Acquisition
RSPA 1-118 were presented to the Royal Society in January 1792 by Sir William and Lady Jones. This manuscript was presented by Lady Jones.
The Royal Society's collection of 280 Persian and Arabic, and 86 Sanskrit manuscripts were transferred to the India Office Library in 1876.
1876
India Office Library
Record Sources
Manuscript description based on E. Denison Ross and E. G. Browne, Catalogue of two collections of Persian and Arabic manuscripts preserved in the India Office Library (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1902), p. 20 no. XXIIIAvailability
WARNING: Under current circumstances, not all items are available for consultation and orders can only be placed within Reading Rooms. Please contact Reading Room staff at the British Library for information on availability and for help with placing orders.
Funding of Cataloguing
BL
Subjects