First volume of a Tarikhnama (Book of history) by Bal’ami (died ca. 992-997)

Object Details

• Description

  Manuscript; Tarikhnama (Book of history) by Bal'ami, volume I; Persian in black naskh script; headings in red; 193 folios and 3 end leaf with 1 unwan (folio 1 verso), 30 paintings (1 recto, 14 verso, 37 verso, 42 verso, 47 verso, 54 verso, 62 verso, 68 verso, 75 verso, 79 verso, 83 verso, 90 verso, 107 recto, 110 recto, 116 recto, 117 verso, 118 verso, 126 recto, 129 recto, 131 recto, 132 verso, 134 recto, 138 recto, 146 verso, 157 verso, 179 verso, 182 recto, 184 recto, 192 verso), 2 stamps (fols. 2 recto, 193 verso), 4 inscriptions (fols. 125 recto, 155 recto, 156 recto, 157 recto); one of a group of 3: volume II, folios 79, and 84, bound within volume II, are accessioned separately as (F1947.19, F1930.21); standard page: 33 lines of text.

  Binding: The manuscript, which was bound in worn lacquer and cardboard cover, is now bound in brown leather over paper pasteboards.

• Inscriptions

  Folio 125 recto:

  "As the Prophet Muhammad, may God send greetings to him and his family, mentioned about Nushirwan's righteousness: va luddat fe [? zan] al-mulk al-adel."

  Folio 155 verso:

  "In the name of God, As the master of poets Nizami Ganji noted in his book "Khamsa": A patricide is not worthy of kingship thus, [?] is not becoming."

  Folio 156 verso:

  "In the name of God, In a dynasty that a rooster utter a cry like a fowl there is no glory."

  Folio 157 verso:

  Folio 157 verso:

• Paper/Support

  Modern worn cardboard binding

• Provenance

  To 1957

  K. Rabenou, New York, New York. [1]

  From 1957

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from K. Rabenou, New York, New York. [2]

  Notes:

  [1] Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.

  [2] See note 1.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  An Epic of Kings: The Great Mongol Shahnama (September 21, 2024 to January 12, 2025)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Khalil Rabenou (1906-1961)

• Origin

  Probably Iraq

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Manuscript

• On View

  Sackler 23a: An Epic of Kings: The Great Mongol Shahnama

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1300s

• Name

  Rabenou, Khalil, Solomon, King of Israel, Alexander, Da?ra? Shiku?h, Prince, son of Shahjahan, Emperor of India, Abraham (Biblical patriarch), Aaron (Biblical priest), David, King of Israel

• Topic

  Wars, Art, Moses (Biblical leader), Bilqis, Manuchihr, History, Snakes, Dragon, Yusuf, Whales, Jonah, Goliath, Tarikhnama, Arts of the Islamic World, Balami, Angels, Il-Khanid dynasty (1256 - 1353), Khusraw Parviz, Demon, Zulaykha, Bahram Gur, Caliph Ali, Muhammad, Musa, Temple, Kay Khusraw, Bahram Chubina, Joseph, Caliph Abu-Bakr, Illustrated, Nushirvan, Giant, Ka'ba, Prophet

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians, Iraqis

• Language

  Naskh script

• Object Type

  Manuscripts

• On View

  Yes