Persian MS 379 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)
Persian Manuscripts
Contents
The text begins abruptly from the end of the prior volume, Persian MS 379, folio 466b.
For other copies of this work held in the Rylands, see Persian MS 380, 826 (formerly owned by an early translator of the work, Jonathan Scott), and 1014–1016 (3 vols). For a critical Persian edition, see Briggs. For English translations of selections, see Briggs, Scott, and Dow.
Physical Description
Collation
Condition
Layout
Written in 1 column with 22 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.
Hand(s)
Written in several hands, possibly initially by a group of scribes who collaborated on the original manuscript, ranging from clear nasta‘līq to hasty shikastah in black with red subheaders.
Replaced ivory and henna-tined folios written in two comparatively clear black nasta‘līq hands with red subheaders.
Table of Contents: listed on the first to third left flyleaves a and b sides (ff. ia–iiia). Inscriptions: The fourth right flyleaf a side (f. ia) bears the Persian title and volume number, likely in the hand of Muhīn Dās, assistant to former owner George William Hamilton.
Bookplates: Left pastedown: ‘Bibliotheca Lindesiana’ with pencilled shelfmark ‘1/B’, and ‘Hamilton MSS No. 296’, with the name and number crossed out and ‘Persian’ and ‘379’ written aside.
Binding
Possibly rebound in Multan for former owner Colonel George William Hamilton (1807-1868) in circa 1850–1860 CE.
Volume split into two and resewn on three thong supports. Very thin, ivoury-colored machine-made wove paper added as endpapers at beginning and end. Edges trimmed, and chevron endbands twined in blue and white silk over round cores at head and tailCovered in two pieces of full maroon goatskin leather over pasteboards, pared thinly and overlapped on the spine, tight-backed, with squares along the edges, but without a flap (Type III binding per Déroche). Leather thong sewing supports adhered to the board interiors, with strips of the same endpaper stock applied over top to disguise the joins (but the tips still appear evident underneath). Internal joints reinforced with strips of British-manufactured spot-patterned marbled paper.
Board margins dyed brown ~1 cm in from the edges, double-ruled in yellow on either side, with another single-rule internal margin. Octagonal paper label bears the title of the work and volume number written in nasta‘līq.
344 × 195 × 56 mm.
Binding in fair but stable condition, with some breakage at the joints of the headcaps, and abrasion to the exterior joints and spine. Opening to the gutter margins restricted in some areas.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Formerly owned by one Zāl Abū Sa‘īd, as per his seal impression 1079 AH (1668–1669 CE) on Persian MS 178, folio 1a.
Subsequently acquired by Colonel George William Hamilton (1807-1868) who served in India from 1823 to 1867, latterly as Commissioner in Delhi. He acquired over a thousand Indian and Persian manuscripts, from which the British Museum selected 352, now held in the British Library.
Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) purchased the remainder of Hamilton's collection in 1868.
Purchased by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1901 from James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford (1847–1913).
Bequeathed by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1908 to the John Rylands Library, Manchester.
Record Sources
Bibliographical description based on an index created by Reza Navabpour circa 1993, derived from a manuscript catalogue by Michael Kerney, circa 1890s, concisely published as Bibliotheca Lindesiana, Hand-list of Oriental Manuscripts: Arabic, Persian, Turkish, 1898.
Manuscript description by Jake Benson in 2023 with reference to the volume in hand.
Availability
To book an in-person or online appointment to consult the manuscript, visit Using the Special Collections Reading Rooms. For any other enquiries please email uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk.
Bibliography
Funding of Cataloguing
Iran Heritage Foundation
The John Rylands Research Institute
Subjects
- ʻAdil Shahi dynasty (1489–1686)
- Ahmadnagar (Kingdom)
- Bahmani dynasty (ca. 1347–1527)
- Bijāpur (Karnataka, India)
- Deccan (India)
- Deccan (India)--History
- Golconda (India)
- Golconda (India)--History
- Golconda (Sultanate)
- Karnataka (India)--History
- India--History
- India History 1000–1765
- India--History--1526-1765
- Qutb Shahi dynasty (1518–1687)
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