Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d.1020)

Object Details

• Description

  Manuscript; Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; text: Persian in black nasta'liq script; 440 folios with a double-page frontispiece (fols. 1 verso, 2 recto), 1 unwan (folio 6 verso), 110 illustrations; seal; inscriptions contain the name, Shah Jahan Jamshid khan and the date A.H. 672 [A.D. 1274] (folio1 recto ); standard page, 4 columns, 30 lines.

  Binding: The manuscript is bound in dark red cloth- cover over paper pasteboards with corner pieces and doublures of marbled paper.

• Marks

  The manuscript contains three seals: the seal of Shah Jahan I, seal with inscription: mehr Ali, mehr negin delam, hal shodeh az mehr Ali moshkelam, and seal of Lahi ibn Haji Ostovar the minister of Shah Jahan.

• Inscriptions

  The inscriptions on the folio 1 recto reads: "the copy was written in A.H. 672 [A.D. 1274] and ended up in the hands of Shah Jahan Jamshid Khan, governor of Kerman, who was over thrown by Arghun Khan Mongol. Later Shah Jahan joined the sardaran of Timur Ghurakan."

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Origin

  Iran

• Credit Line

  Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Manuscript

• 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

  1400s

• Topic

  Art, Turkmen period (1378 - 1508), Arts of the Islamic World, Illumination, Shahnama

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Object Type

  Manuscripts