Arabic MS 676 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)
Arabic Manuscripts
Composite manuscript containing a treatise on music and an astrological work.
Contents
Physical Description
Binding
Quarter-bound, with marble paper covers. Label on front cover: "MUSIQUE PLEYADES".
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Formerly in the collection of Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) Crawford, Alexander Crawford Lindsay, 1812-1880.
Purchased by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) Rylands, Enriqueta, 1843–1908 in 1901 from James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford (1847–1913) Crawford, James Ludovic Lindsay, Earl of, 1847–1913 .
Bequeathed by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1908 to John Rylands Library.
Contents
Title page on folio 1a.
The work is dedicated in the preface to a much-praised but unnamed king.
The author says that all musical tunes are derived from the one called راست. Two of its immediate derivatives are those called دوكاه and سيكاه. From these three are directly derived eight other key-tunes. The remaining tunes to the number of eighteen are derived from the above eleven principal tunes. All musical tunes, therefore, are twenty-one in number.
Marginal notes.
References
Physical Description
Collation
Condition
Layout
Hand(s)
Naskh script in black and red ink.
History
Provenance
Title page: short shopkeeper's bill.
Title page: Ownership inscription by Ḥasan al-Jabarti (حسن الجبرتي) who maybe identified with Ḥasan bin Ibrahīm bin Ḥasan ibn Ali al-Jabirati, who died in AH 1188 (1774 CE).
Contents
The occasion of the writing of the book is the plague which raged in Egypt in AH 987-988 (1579-1580 CE). The the appearance of the Pleiades (a star cluster in the Taurus constellation) this plague ceased, and the author (an Ottoman astronomer), who died about AH 1010 (1601 CE) was asked to write a treatise on the Pleiades and the influence of the stars in general on the plague.
The manuscript is an autograph of the author, and was written by him in its final form in AH 998 (1589 CE).
Physical Description
Collation
Condition
Layout
Hand(s)
Egyptian Naskh script in black and red ink. Most of the words which offered a certain difficulty are vowelled.
History
Additional Information
Record Sources
Availability
The item is available for consultation by any accredited reader.
For information on eligibility and admissions procedures, see Using Special Collections at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library.
For further information on the availability of the item, please contact the Special Collections Reader Services.
Digital Images
Manchester Digital Collections (full digital facsimile)
Bibliography
Funding of Cataloguing
The John Rylands Research Institute and Library
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