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Selections of Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman Calligraphy
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Bal'ami's Persian translation of al-Tabari's "Ta'rikh"
AUTHOR/CREATOR
Calligrapher: unknown
CREATED/PUBLISHED
13th-14th centuries
NOTES
Dimensions of Written Surface: Recto: 20.0 (h) x 17.7 (w) cm
Dimensions of Written Surface: Verso: 29 (h) x 21.3 (w) cm
Script: Persian naskh
This fragment contains the beginning pages of the historical encyclopedia entitled "Ta'rikh al-Rusul wa-al-Muluk" (History of Prophets and Kings) composed in Arabic by the celebrated historian al-Tabari (d. 310/923), later abridged and translated into Persian in 963 AD by the writer Bal'ami. The verso of this fragment (1-85-154.69 V) continues the first two pages and includes a later note identifying the work as the "Histories of Tabari in Persian" (tawarikh-i Tabari-yi farsi). The work includes a history of kings and dynasties from pre-Islamic times to the prophecy of Muhammad, as well as early Islamic history.
The first two pages of text on the recto of this fragment include a lengthy encomium to God, His power, and His creations. This is followed by an encomium in Arabic to the author's patron, the Samanid King of Khurasan and Transoxiana, al-Mansur b. Nuh b. Ahmad b. Isma'il, for whom Bal'ami translated the work into Persian. The author states at the conclusion of his preface that "we have transcribed in this work the history of the world, everything that is said about astronomers and that which is said about the Zoroastrians, Christians, Jews, and Christians." The third section, which begins at the lower part of the left side of the recto and continues on the right side of the fragment's verso, glorifies God's power to create, citing numerous verses from the Qur'an picked out in red ink.
The page on the right contains the continuation of an encomium to God's creative powers, interspersed with Arabic prayers picked out in red ink, followed by the third section of the work which addresses various scientists' opinions on the duration of the world (al-qawl fi miqdar muddat al-dunya). In this section, the length of the world's existence from the time of Adam until the Day of Resurrection is calculated according to a variety of opinions, including those of Aristotle and Hippocrates. Bal'ami notes that some scholars believe that the duration of the world is 7000 years.
The left page includes a number of a posteriori reader's notes. At the top appears an ex-libris (min kutub) mark, which states that the book belonged to a certain Muhammad [...] 'Abd Khawajaga, who dated his mark 1214/1800 (?). Unfortunately, both the former book's owner and the date were smeared at a later date.
Because this fragment bears Bal'ami's introduction and thus marks the beginning of the manuscript, the text is framed on both sides by an illuminated border. The frames are decorated with gold flowers with blue spots on a pure gold background. On the top and bottom horizontal frames appear praises to God, Muhammad, and Muhammad's family and his companions, executed in white ink and framed by blue panels decorated with gold flowers. The main text is executed in black ink in an old Persian naskh (cursive) script typical of works produced during Ilkhanid rule (1256-1353) in Iran. At least one contemporary illustrated copy of al-Bal'ami's history made in Mosul circa 1300 AD is now held in the Freer Gallery in Washington D.C. (acc. no. F 1957.16, 1930.21 and 1947.19).
Bal'ami's Persian version of Tabari's "Ta'rikh" has been translated into French by Hermann Zotenberg: see "Chronique de Abou Djafar Mohammed-ben-Djarir-ben-Yezid Tabari, traduite sur la version persane d'Abou-Ali Mohammed Bel`ami, d'après les manuscrits de Paris, de Gotha, de Londres et de Canterbury" (Paris: Imprimerie Impériale, 1867-1874).
SUBJECT
Persian naskh
Islamic manuscripts
Islamic calligraphy
Illuminated Islamic manuscripts
Arabic calligraphy
Arabic script calligraphy
MEDIUM
38.8 (h) x 53.0 (w) x cm
CALL NUMBER
1-85-154.69
REPOSITORY
Library of Congress, African and Middle Eastern Division, Washington, D.C. 20540
DIGITAL ID
ascs 114
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.amed/ascs.114
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