IO Islamic 4806 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)

Brief parable on the subject of predestination, told through the characters of the biblical and koranic Prophet Sulaymān and the disobedient sīmurgh or phoenix, in the dāstān tradition

The narrative begins by tracing its origins back to the Prophet Muḥammad though his companions, who related it to Ḥasan Baṣrī, who told Ibn Saʿd. However, the author of the present version is not identified in name

Illuminated headpiece above opening text, comprised of a half-turunj over rectangular frames enclosing the basmalah invocation (f. 1v)

Illustrations on very thin paper in an early-eighteenth-century Kashmiri style with male figures in historicised Persianate costume (ff. 3v, 5v, 6r, 8v-9r, 15r, 18r, 19r, 22r), neatly but simply painted

Marks of ownership and seals erased or cut out

IOL stamp dated 25/11/85

Not dated