Book of kings (Shahnama), Walters Art Museum MS. W.601

The Walters Art Museum 600 N. Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201 http://www.thewalters.org/

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/legalcode Published 2009

NOTE: The pages in this book are ordered from right to left. This means that to view the pages in order, you should go the last page of the document and read what would be from “back-to-front� for a Western manuscript.

This document is a digital facsimile of selections from a manuscript belonging to the Walters Art Museum, in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States. It is one of a number of manuscripts that have been digitized as part of a project generously funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, and by an anonymous donor to the Walters Art Museum. More details about the manuscripts at the Walters can be found by visiting The Walters Art Museum's website www.thewalters.org. For further information about this book, and online resources for Walters manuscripts, please contact us through the Walters Website by email, and ask for your message to be directed to the Department of Manuscripts.

fol. 278b: Title: Rustam combats Barzū, his grandson Form: Illustration fol. 289b: Title: Rustam combats Pilsum, a Turanian warrior Form: Illustration fol. 308b: Title: Rustam rescues Bīzhan from the pit Form: Illustration fol. 354a: Title: Kay Khusraw kills Shīdah (Pashank) Form: Illustration Acquisition

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequest

Binding

The binding is not original.

Modern black leather (no flap)

Bibliography

Storey, C. A. Persian Literature: A Bio-Bibliographical Survey, Vol. 1. (London: Luzac, 1927- ), 112-159.

Richard, Francis. Catalogue des manuscrits persans. (Paris: Bibliothèque nationale, 1989), nos. 228-9.

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Form: Illustration fol. 42b: Title: Incipit page with illuminated headpiece Form: Incipit; headpiece Label: This incipit page has an illuminated headpiece introducing the Story of Sām. fol. 72a: Title: Sām battles the dīv Nihangāl Form: Illustration fol. 79b: Title: Sām lassos Faghfūr of China Form: Illustration fol. 108b: Title: Rustam kills the white elephant Form: Illustration fol. 122a: Title: Rustam fights Afrāsiyāb Form: Illustration fol. 131b: Title: Rustam kills the White Dīv (the seventh feat) Form: Illustration fol. 157a: Title: Rustam kills Suhrāb Form: Illustration fol. 195b: Title: Gūdarz begs Kay Khusraw to return to Persia Form: Illustration fol. 234a: Title: Rustam shoots Ashkabūs Form: Illustration fol. 245b: Title: Rustam drags the Khāqān of China from his elephant Form: Illustration

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Laid paper Extent

Foliation: ii+398+ii

Collation

Catchwords: Written on versos

Dimensions

16.5 cm wide by 26.0 cm high

Written surface

11.5 cm wide by 19.5 cm high

Layout

Columns: 4 Ruled lines: 22 Framing lines in blue, red, gold, and black

Contents

fols. 1b - 398b: Title: Shāhnāmah Incipit: Text note: Text begins with the preface (dībāchah), composed on the order of Bāysunghur; incomplete at the end; last page contains the beginning of Nāmah-i Gushtāsb Hand note: Written in nastaʿlīq script in black and red ink Decoration note: Fourteen illustrations (fols. 27b, 42b, 72a, 79b, 108b, 122a, 131b, 157a, 195b, 234a, 245b, 278b, 289b, 308b, and 354a); three illuminated headpieces (fols. 1b, 15b, and 42b); framing lines in blue, red, gold, and black

Decoration

fol. 1b: Title: Incipit page with illuminated headpiece Form: Incipit; headpiece fol. 15b: Title: Incipit page with illuminated headpiece Form: Incipit; headpiece Label: This incipit page with illuminated headpiece introduces the text of the Shāhnāmah. fol. 27b: Title: Farīdūn and Jamshīd’s daughters Arnavāz and Shahrnavāz

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Shelf mark

Walters Art Museum Ms. W.601

Descriptive Title

Book of kings (Shahnama)

Text title

Shāhnāmah Vernacular:

Author

Authority name: Firdawsī As-written name: Abū al-Qāsim Ḥasan ibn Isḥāq Firdawsī Ṭūsī Name, in vernacular: Note: Author dates preferred by cataloger: d. 411 or 416 AH / 1020-5 CE

Abstract

This is an illuminated and illustrated Safavid copy of the Shāhnāmah (Book of kings) by Firdawsī (d. 411 or 416 AH / 1020-5 CE), dated 1028 AH / 1618-9 CE. The text, which is incomplete, begins with the preface (dībāchah), composed on the order of Bāysunghur. It is written in black nastaʿlīq script with chapter/section headings in red. The manuscript contains fourteen illustrations that appear to be later additions, perhaps dating to the 13th century A.H./ 19th century C.E., and may have been executed in India or Iran.

The black leather binding is modern.

Date

1028 AH / 1618-9 CE

Origin

Iran

Form

Book

Genre

Historical

Language

The primary language in this manuscript is Persian.

Colophon

15a: Transliteration: tammat al-Dībāchah [sic] Shahnāmah [sic] bi-tawfīq Allāh /1/ taʿālá fī shuhūr sanat thamāniyah waʿishrīn wa-alf /2/ tamma tamma tamma /3/ Comment: At the end of the preface

Support material

Paper

Generated: 2011-06-06 11:56 -04:00

This document is a digital facsimile of selections from a manuscript belonging to the Walters Art Museum, in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States. It is one of a number of manuscripts that have been digitized as part of a project generously funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, and by an anonymous donor to the Walters Art Museum. More details about the manuscripts at the Walters can be found by visiting The Walters Art Museum's website www.thewalters.org. For further information about this book, and online resources for Walters manuscripts, please contact us through the Walters Website by email, and ask for your message to be directed to the Department of Manuscripts.

A digital facsimile of selections fromWalters Ms. W.601, Book of kings (Shahnama) Title: ShÄ hnÄ mah

Published by: The Walters Art Museum 600 N. Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21201 http://www.thewalters.org/

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/legalcode Published 2011