Details

Library of Congress genre(s)

• Poetry [Browse]

Getty AAT genre

• Headpieces (layout features)—Uzbekistan—Samarqand—17th century [Browse]
• Illuminated manuscripts—Uzbekistan—Samarqand—17th century [Browse]

Summary note

Illuminated copy of the Shāhnāmah, containing 37 miniatures of varying quality, likely from the late 18th century; no introduction.

Notes

• Ms. codex.
• Title supplied by cataloger.
• Physical description: 24-25 lines per page, in four columns; written in small nastaʻliq in black by more than one hand on tan glazed, laid Arabic paper. Text occasionally written on a diagonal. Text framed in gold, green, red, and blue; columns separated by double gold lines. Catchwords; headings in red and blue. Some paper repairs to borders; fol. 3-6 remounted on new borders and last folio remounted on original borders. Part of colophon after scribe's name torn and retattached. Some staining and smudging. Otherwise in good condition.
• Decoration: On fol. 1b-2a, lavishly illuminated ʻunwāns in gold and color. Text on fol. 2b-3a set within clouds on gold background. With 37 miniatures by different artists, probably late 18th century; on leaves with miniatures, the margins are decorated with gold flowers. Some miniatures lightly smudged or damaged.
• Origin: Copy completed in Samarqand at the end of Ṣafar 1009 H [September 1600] by at least two scribes, one of whom is Mīr Māh ibn Mīr ʻArab, "the nephew of Mīr Kulangī Kātib-i Bukhārī" (fol. 526a).

Binding note

Full leather binding from the 18th century; with stamped central mandorla and corner pieces painted in gold and color. Entire surface decorated with gold flowers and arabesques. Marbled paper doublures.

Language note

Persian.

Contents

• Miniatures: fol. 13a: [Faridun defeats Zahhak]
• fol. 19b: [Tur, Sakila slay Iraj]
• fol. 23b: [Shiruy strikes Sam on the head with his mace]
• fol. 26a: [Manuchihr kills Sakila]
• fol. 32b: [Zal shoots fowl]
• fol. 34a: [Zal meets Rudabah]
• fol. 42b: [Zal before Manuchihr after Mubad questioning]
• fol. 47a: [Rustam slays White Elephant]
• fol. 48a: [Rustam slays the Kutval of Sipand Dizh]
• fol. 51b: [Qobad fights Barman]
• fol. 54b: [Afrasiyab executes Nawzar]
• fol. 57b: [Rustam catches Rakhsh]
• fol. 59a: [Rustam slays Qolun]
• fol. 65a: [Rustam's first feat: Rakhsh kills a lion]
• fol. 66b: [Rustam's third feat: Slays dragon]
• fol. 67a: [Rustam's fourth feat: Cleaves witch]
• fol. 68a: [Rustam's fifth feat: Lassoes Awlad]
• fol. 69a: [Rustam's sixth feat: Kills Arzhang]
• fol. 70a: [Rustam's seventh feat: Slays White Div].
• fol. 78a: [Kai Kaʾus air-borne]
• fol. 84a: [Suhrab fights Gurdafarid]
• fol. 88a: [Kai Kais and Rustam make peace]
• fol. 93b: [Rustam mourns Suhrab]
• fol. 96b: [Tus, Gudarz encounter maiden in forest]
• fol. 102a: [Siyavash undergoes the fire ordeal]
• fol. 112a: [Siyavash plays polo before Afrasiyab]
• fol. 123b: [Guruy executes Siyavash]
• fol. 147b: [Bizhan slays Palashan]
• fol. 173b: [Rustam captures Kamus, kills him]
• fol. 200b: [Rustam rescues Bizhan from pit]
• fol. 245b: [Kay Khusraw kills Guruy]
• fol. 261b: [Gushtasp slays dragon]
• fol. 286a: [Isfandiyar's third exploit: Battles dragon]
• fol. 385a: [Bahram Gur hunts lions]
• fol. 387a: [Bahram Gur kills dragon which devoured youth]
• fol. 395a: [Bahram Gur kills a rhinoceros]
• fol. 396a: [Bahram Gur kills dragon].

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Provenance

Owner's stamps on fol. 526a.

Source acquisition

Gift; Robert Garrett (Class of 1897), 1942.

References

Moghadam, M. E. et al. Garrett collection, no. 4

OCLC

773749380

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