Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World

MS. Bodl. Or. 668 (Bodleian Library, Oxford University)

Oriental Manuscripts

Contents

Summary of Contents: One collection of Christian prayers and invocations to saints written in Ottoman Turkish in Syriac script.
Author: anonymous
Incipit: (folio 2b, lines 1-2) ܒܣܡ ܐܠܐܒ ܘܐܠܐܒܢ ܘܐܠܪܘܚ ܐܠܩܕܣ ܐܠܐܠܗ ܐܠܘܐܚܕ ܐܡܝܢ
Colophon: (folio 150a, lines 1-15) ܐܶܣܬܰܝܟܼܰܬ܄ ܫܒܺܝܬܳܐ ܙܳܘܕܽܐ ܡܒܰܪܰܟܼܬܳܐ ܒܺܐܝܕ̈ܰܝܳܐ ܗܰܛܳܝ̈ܬܐ ܕܟܼܽܘܪܳܝܳܐ ܐܢܛܽܘܢܺܝܳܘܣ ܡܶܢ ܩܪܺܬܳܐ ܡܒܰܪܰܟܼܬܳܐ ܓܼܽܘܣܛܰܐ ܒܰܐܬܪܰܐ ܕܟܷܿܣܪܘܰܐܢ ܒ݇ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܕܫܰܒܬܳܐ ܕܺܐܝܬܰܘܗ، ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܕܰܫܒܰܥܣܰܪ̈ ܕܝܰܪܗܳܐ ܬܶܫܪܺܝܢ ܩܰܕܡܳܝܳܐ ܒܰܫܢܰܬ ܫܒܰܥ̈ܡܳܐܐ ܘܗܰܡ̈ܫܺܝܢ ܒܳܬܰܪ ܐܰܠܦܳܐ ܠܡܳܪܰܢ ارجو من الناظر فیه الّا یوخذني بنقصي لاني کتبت ما لا افهمه لاني لا اعرف لیسان الترکي ونسخته بتعب کثیر
Filiation: Two other manuscripts in Oxford Bodelain Libraries' Asian and Middle Eastern Manuscripts Collection contain at least a portion of the same text: MS. Bodl. Or. 632 (complete) and MS. Bodl. Or. 693 (partial).
Language(s): Ottoman Turkish in Syriac Serṭā script with some Syriac and Arabic

References

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: offwhite ragstock
Extent: i + 150 folios + i
Dimensions (leaf): 15.7 × 10.7 × 2.1 cm.

Layout

Single column of 16 lines per page.

Hand(s)

Script: Syriac Serṭā in black ink with red ink for headings, certain proper names, and some prayers and formulae. Arabic colophon in naskh.

The scribe gives his title and name as ܟܼܽܘܪܳܝܳܐ ܐܢܛܽܘܢܺܝܳܘܣ ܡܶܢ ܩܪܺܬܳܐ ܡܒܰܪܰܟܼܬܳܐ ܓܼܽܘܣܛܰܐ K̠ūrāyā Anṭōniyūs men qaritā mabarak̠tā G̠ōsṭa, i.e. Chorepiscopus Anthony of the blessed city of Ghosta.

Decoration

Decorated geometric frontispiece.

Binding

Splended gilded stamped leather binding with the Christogram IHS, suggesting a Maronite Catholic origin.

History

Origin: The scribe mentions in the Syriac colophon being "from" Lebanon, Keserwan, Ghosta. Since he mentions no other place, and since Ghosta is home to a large monastery, this is likely also the place of origin ; Saturday, 17 October 1750 CE.

Provenance and Acquisition

A single line in poorly written Ottoman on the front fly-leaf verso (ib) reads کتاب توماص اف ارفلي "book of Thomas ef(endi?) of Urfa".

Formerly part of the library of Bishop W. H. Mill.

Possibly acquired by the Bodleian in 1850.

Record Sources

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures contact Bodleian Admissions). Contact specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript

Funding of Cataloguing

JISC


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