Arabic (and one Persian) versions of six Greek treatises on mathematics edited by Ṭūsī, Naṣīr al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad طوسي، نصير الدين محمد بن محمد

IO Islamic 923

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The record is made up of Codex A collection of pages, usually gathered into quires, and bound between covers. ; ff. vi+101+iv. It was created in Jumādá I-Sha‘bān 1198. It was written in Arabic, Farsi and Persian. The original is part of the British Library: Oriental Manuscripts.

About this record

Content

Second part of a collection of Naṣīr al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ṭūsī's (نصير الدين محمد بن محمد الطوسي; d. 1274) editions (تحارير) of the so-called 'intermediate [books] (متوسطات)', Arabic versions of ancient Greek mathematical and astronomical texts and Arabic responses to them which were meant to be read after Euclid's Elements and in preparation for Ptolemy's Almagest . The first part of this collection is found in manuscript IO Islamic 1249.

The script, ornamentation and binding of the volume indicate that it is part of a set comprising also manuscripts IO Islamic 924 and IO Islamic 1249. Since the latter was transcribed in 1198/1784, probably for Warren Hastings, Governor-General of Bengal from 1772 to 1785 (see front paper ii recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. ), the collation notes in this manuscript dated to the months of Jumādá I and Sha‘bān without indication of the year probably refer to 1198 (March-April and June-July 1784).

A descriptive title in Persian is found on front paper ii recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. , and tables of contents in Persian and English are given on front paper iii recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. .

Contents:

  • (1) Autolycus (أوطولوقس), De sphaera quae movetur (تحرير كتاب الكرة المتحركة; ff. 1v-10r);
  • (2) Theodosius (ثاوذوسيوس), De habitationibus (تحرير كتاب المساكن; ff. 11v-21r);
  • (3) Theodosius (ثاوذوسيوس), De diebus et noctibus (كتاب في الأيام والليالي; ff. 23v-51r);
  • (4) Aristarchus (أرسطرخس), De magnitudinibus et distantiis solis et lunae (في جرمي النيرين وبعديهما; ff. 52v-69r);
  • (5) Euclid (أقليدس), Elements , Book 1 (مقالهٔ اولى از كتاب اقليدس; ff. 71v-95r)
  • (6) Euclid (أقليدس), De levi et ponderoso (في الثقل والخفة وقياس الأجرام بعضها إلى بعض; ff. 98v-101r).
Extent and format
Codex A collection of pages, usually gathered into quires, and bound between covers. ; ff. vi+101+iv
Physical characteristics

Material: Paper

Dimensions: 209 x 120 mm leaf [130 x 58 mm written]

Foliation: British Museum foliation in pencil

Ruling: Misṭarah ; 12 lines per page; vertical spacing 9 lines per 10 cm

Script: Nasta‘līq

Ink: Black ink, with rubricated headings and overlinings in red

Decoration: Every opening and every page has a border in gold, black and red ink; the first opening (ff. 1v-2r) is extensively illuminated in gold, red, green and blue

Binding: Hybrid binding with European and Islamic-style features; gilt tooled; leather doublure

Condition: Excellent condition; book block re-sewn, boards reattached and spine replaced

Marginalia: Very few and all appear to be by copyist

Seals: Ff. 1r and 101v

Written in
Arabic, Farsi and Persian in Arabic script
Type
Manuscript

Archive information for this record

Access & Reference

Original held at
British Library: Oriental Manuscripts
Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference
IO Islamic 923

History of this record

Date(s)
Jumādá I-Sha‘bān 1198 (AH, Hijri qamari)
Context of creation

India

Provenance

From the library of Warren Hastings

East India Company Library, its seal (ff. 1r and 101v)

Immediate source of acquisition

East India Company Library

Related material

Finding aids

Loth, Otto, A Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. (London : Printed by order of the Secretary of State for India in Council, 1877), Item 744, pp. 217-18

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Arabic (and one Persian) versions of six Greek treatises on mathematics edited by Ṭūsī, Naṣīr al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad طوسي، نصير الدين محمد بن محمد, British Library: Oriental Manuscripts, IO Islamic 923, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100022555137.0x000001> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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