Arabic Manuscript, 16th century

Specimens of Oriental MSS and Printing G.M.L. Brown

1.5

From an Arabic Manuscript, a book of litanies such as is used everywhere is Moslem countries. Certain peculiarities of the calligraphy point to Turkestan as its place of origin, although in its illuminations and general character the page is distinctly Turkish. In speculating as to a manuscripts place of origin one must bear in mind that great cities, like Constantinople, Damascus and Cairo, attracted people from all parts of the Muhammadan world, and that these included many scholars, scribes and illuminators from Persia and beyond. That the latter should assimilate certain Turkish characteristics would only be natural. In this manuscript the characters in black are in the Naskhi style of writing, the oldest form of Arabic cursive; but its beauty clearly lies in its decorations, and in the three bold inscriptions wich run across each page, written in the style known as Tsuluts, called by the Persians Rogha. The book undoubtedly dates from the 16th Century.