MS Nn.3.74 JISC Gillian Evison Cambridge University Library
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 Images made available for download are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License (CC BY-NC 3.0) This metadata is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. Cambridge University Library (CC BY-NC 4.0) United Kingdom Cambridgeshire Cambridge Cambridge University Cambridge University Library Oriental Manuscripts MS Nn.3.74 A richly illuminated 16th Century [CE] copy of the Persian version of Qazwini's ʻAjāʼib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharāʼib al-mawjūdāt, "The marvels of creation and the oddities of existence", commonly known as "The cosmography of Qazwini".. The text is structured according to a hierarchical cosmological order, with the celestial spheres, incorporating the fixed stars, the 12 signs of the Zodiac, stellar constellations and the surrounding spheres, which make up the observable celestial phenomena, followed by the invisible phenomena, the "Guardians of the Kingdom of God" and other angels, and the division of time and calendars. In the second section of the work the elemental division of the sublunar sphere is classified into the four elements fire, wind, water and earth. The seas, oceans and islands including their inhabitants, are governed by Water, while Earth contains the mountains, wells, rivers, minerals, plants and the animal kingdom, including human beings and their cultures. Numerous illustrations of commonly known mammals, birds, insects and reptiles can be found, along with strange beings, which conclude the text. Qazwīnī, Zakarīyā ibn Muḥammad, ca. 1203-1283 ʻAjāʼib al-makhlūqāt The cosmography of Qazwini عجائب المخلوقات 4v العظمه ربك و البريا لجلالك الهم يا قايم الذات 4v همی گویند اصغر العباد ذکریاء بن محمد بن محمود الموکونی القزوینی تولاه الله بفصله که چون بحکم الهی مفارقت اهل وطن اتفاق افتاد و مجالست کتاب اختیار کردم چنانکه شاعر گفته است 242r ما ذکر ابوریحان الخوارزمی گفت کسی هدیه فرستاد از بحر نوح بن منصور السامانی در آن هدیها دو چیز عجب دیدم یکی اسبی بود و قرن داشت و دیگر روباهی بود و پر داشت. 242r و ایشان را مبارک شمردندی تمت الکتاب بعون مالک الوهاب فی تاریخ شانزدهم شهر جمادی الآخربه سنه 974 Persian, with the initial doxography and some quotations in Arabic 1v-2r Illustrated opening 2v-3r Illuminated page with Shamsah containing the title 3r Illuminated page with Shamsah containing the author's name 3v-4r Illuminated carpet page opening with Persian preface 3v-4r Illuminated Ūnwān heading the ordinary preface, of which the initial doxology is retained in the original Arabic 6r-8r Table of contents 8r-12v Introduction 8r-10r مقدمه اول در معنی عجب 1. On the meaning of ʻajab (malvel) 10v-10r مقدمه دوم در تقسیم مخلوقات 2. On the division of the makhlūqāt (the created) 10v-12r مقدمه سیم در معنی غریب 3. On the meaning of the gharīb (the strange) 12v مقدمه سیم در تقسیم موجودات 4. On the division of meaning of mawjūdāt (existence) 12v-46v مفاله اول در علویات Section 1. On the Celestials 13r Overview of the 12 celestial spheres 14r The Moon 15r The Moon illuminated by the Sun 15v The lunar eclipse 17r Illustration of the spheres of Mercury 17v Illustration of the spheres of Venus 18r Illustration of the spheres of the Sun 19v Illustration of the solar eclipse 20r Illustration of the spheres of Jupiter 20v Illustration of the spheres of Saturn 21r Illustration of the retrograde motion of the planets 21v On the fixed stars فصل في كواكب الثابتة 24r On the 12 signs of the Zodiac فصل في بروج اثناعشر 26r On the stellar constellations فصل في صور الحيؤية 28r On the mansions of the moon فصل في منازل القمر 31v On the highest sphere در فلک الافلاک 32r On the inhabitants of the heavens در ساکنان سموات 32v The bearers of God's throne حملة العرش 33r Illustration of the Angel al-Ruh <foreign xml:lang="ara">الروح</foreign> 33v Ilustration of the Angel Isrāfīl <foreign xml:lang="ara">اسرافيل</foreign> 35r On the Angels of the Heavens ملائك السموات 36r On time در زمان 46v-242v مفاله دوم در سلفیات Section 2. On the Mundane 46v- On the Elements نظر اول در حقیقت عناصر 47v- On Fire نظر اول کرر آتش 49v Illustration of the element Air <foreign xml:lang="ara">باد</foreign> 51v- Illustration of the Element Water نظر اول کرر الماء 55r Illustration of the inhabitants of the Island of Ṣīn <foreign xml:lang="ara">صين</foreign> 56r Illustration of the inhabitants of the Island of Rāmnī <foreign xml:lang="ara">رامني</foreign> 56v Illustration of the inhabitants of the Island of Banān <foreign xml:lang="ara">بنان</foreign> 57r Illustration of the inhabitants of the Islands of Wāq Wāq <foreign xml:lang="ara">واق واق</foreign> 63r Illustration of a bird rescuing a man (?) 66r Illustration of the inhabitants of the Islands of Sagsar, <foreign xml:lang="ara">سگسر</foreign> the dog headed, leading a victim towards a house 74v On Earth نظر اول کرر الارض 76r Diagram on the 7 regions of the Earth نظر اول کرر الارض 94v-107r Illuminated Ūnwān Chapter 1. On Minerals النظر الاول في المعدنيات 107v-132v Illuminated Ūnwān Chapter 2. On Plants <corr instant="false">النظر الثاني فی النباتات</corr> 133r-241v Illuminated Ūnwān Chapter 3. On Animals النظر الثالث في الحيوان 133v-197v On the [first type] the Human being النظر اول فی حقیقت الانسان 134r Illuminated Ūnwān النظر الثانی فی نفس الناطقۀ On the rational mind 141r Illuminated Ūnwān On human body parts فصل في تشريح اعضاء انسان 153v Illuminated Ūnwān On the Persians (?) فصل في خواص الفرس 154v Illuminated Ūnwān On the beliefs of the Greeks and Romans فصل في اعتقادات اهل الروم 161v Illuminated Ūnwān On how the foreigners cultivate their lands فصل في اعمال العجنبیه من الغراس 161v Illuminated Ūnwān On care (house keeping) الباب الثانی فی الرعایة 166r Illuminated Ūnwān On carpentry باب السابع في النجاره 166v Illustration of Noah's ark 167r Illustration of a mobile shrine 167v Illustration of the Ṣandūq al-Sāqī <foreign xml:lang="ara">سندوق الساقي</foreign> 168r Illustration of a Throne 168v Illustration of a Throne 169r Illustration of a geometrical chest 169v Illuminated Ūnwān On trade الباب الثاني في التجارة 171r Illuminated Ūnwān On Oddities الباب اثالث في العجائبات 172r Illuminated Ūnwān On writing الباب العاشر في الكتابة 172v Illuminated Ūnwān On the styles of the letters فصل في اوضاع الخطوط 173r Illuminated Ūnwān On Wonder العجب 174r Illuminated Ūnwān On beautiful sayings فصل في التوقيعات الحسنة 174r Illuminated Ūnwān On the metre الباب الحادي عشر في العروض 175v-177r Arabic metre in cycles 177v Illuminated Ūnwān On music الباب الثاني عشر في الموسيقي 179r Illuminated Ūnwān On medicine الباب طب محتاج بوليد 181v Illuminated Ūnwān On beauty الباب الرابع عشر في الزينة 183r Illuminated Ūnwān On the cause for vices of men and women الباب الخامس عشر في ان الة عيوب الرجال والنساء 184v Illuminated Ūnwān On the stars الباب السادث في النجوم 186r Illuminated Ūnwān On the astrolab الباب السابع في الاصطرلاب 187v Illuminated Ūnwān On the agreeable number الباب الثامنعشر في اعداد الوفق 188r-189v Numerical squares 191v Illuminated Ūnwān On power of talismans فصل غي اعمال الطلسمات Illustration of a ritual 192r Using the power of Jupiter Illustration of a ritual 192v Using the power of Mars Illustration of a ritual 192v Using the power of the Sun Illustration of a ritual: man with spear and shield 193r Using the power of Venus Illustration of a ritual 193v Using the power of Mercury Illustration of a ritual 194r Using the power of the Moon Illustration of a ritual 194v Illuminated Ūnwān Unknown(?) 195r Illustration of a bird related to talismanic practices 198r-205r Illuminated Ūnwān Chapter on the second type of animals: the Jinn (spirits) نوع الثاني من الحيوان 201r Illuminated Ūnwān On mysterious tales on the Jinn (spirits) في حكايات العجيبة من الجن 205r-207v Illuminated Ūnwān On the Third type of animals: riding animals نوع الثالث في الدواب 205v The horse 206r The mule 206v The donkey 207r The wild donkey 207v-211v On the fourth type [of animals] the grazing live stock نوع الرابع في لنعم 208r The camel 208v The cow 209v The deer 209v The buffalo 210r The gazelle 210r The sheep 210v The goat 211r The antelope 211v The musk deer 222r On the fifth type of animals: the beast of prey نوع الخامس في الحيوان الباع 212r The jackal 212v The weasel 212v The rabbit 213r The lion 213v The tiger 214r The fox 214v The rhinoceros 214v The boar 215v The bear 215v The hay weasel (dalq) 216r The wolf 216v ? 217r The squirrel 217r The cat 217v The wild cat 217v The Sīrāsh [?] سيراش 217v The Sādah vār ساده وار 218r The hyena ضبع 218v The lynx ضبع 218v عبره 218v قلا 219r The gepard 219r The elephant 221r The dog 221v The leopard 222r The scimitar-horned oryx<foreign xml:lang="ara">نامور</foreign> 222r-232v Illuminated Ūnwān On the sixth type of animals: birds نوع السادس من الحيوان 222v The chaffinch <corr instant="false"> <foreign xml:lang="ara">ابو براقش</foreign> </corr> 222v [?] <foreign xml:lang="ara">ابو هرون</foreign> 222v The goose <foreign xml:lang="ara">اوز</foreign> <corr instant="false">(however the image suggests a duck)</corr> 223r The hawk 223v The sparrow hawk 223v The parrot 223v The nightingale 224r The owl 224r The pheasant The weaverbird <corr instant="false"> <foreign xml:lang="ara">تنوط</foreign> </corr> 224r ؟ <corr instant="false"> <foreign xml:lang="ara">حادنة الافعي</foreign> </corr> 224v The great bustard <corr instant="false"> <foreign xml:lang="ara">حباري</foreign> </corr> (the image suggests a goose) 224v The red kite 224v Pigeons 224v The swallow <corr instant="false"> <foreign xml:lang="ara">خطاف</foreign> </corr> 225r The bat 225r The francolin <corr instant="false"> <foreign xml:lang="ara">دراج</foreign> </corr> 225v The rooster 226r The hen 226r The Egyptian vulture <corr instant="false"> <foreign xml:lang="ara">رخمة</foreign> </corr> 226v The crow 226v The starling <corr instant="false"> <foreign xml:lang="ara">زرزور</foreign> </corr> 226v ؟ <foreign xml:lang="ara">زمج</foreign> 226v The quail 227r The gyrfalcon 227r The peregrine falcon 227r The turtle-dove <corr instant="false"> <foreign xml:lang="ara">شفنين</foreign> </corr> 227v The roller 227v The peacock 228r The grey partridge 228r The sparrow 228v The eagle 228v The magpie 228v The phoenix 229r The raven 229v The crane <corr instant="false"> <foreign xml:lang="ara">غرنيق</foreign> </corr> 229v The loon (or diver) 230r The ringdove 230r The snow partridge <corr instant="false"> <foreign>قبج</foreign> </corr> 230r The lark <corr instant="false"> <foreign>قنبر</foreign> </corr> 230v The sandgrouse 230v The turtledove 230v 2 birds ? <foreign xml:lang="ara">قوقنس</foreign> 230v The crane <foreign xml:lang="ara">كركي</foreign> 231r The curlew <foreign xml:lang="ara">كروان</foreign> 231r The stork 231r The heron 231r ? <foreign xml:lang="ara">مكا</foreign> 231v The vulture <foreign xml:lang="ara">نسر</foreign> 231v The ostrich <foreign xml:lang="ara">نعامة</foreign> 232r The hoopoe 232r The swallow [?] the Arabic name reads وطواط while the Persian translation suggests بالوایه 232v-240v Illuminated Ūnwān Chapter on the seventh type of animals: reptiles and insects نوع السبع من الحيوان الهوام والحشرات 233r The woodworm 233r The viper 234r The [giant] snake 234v The locust 234v The chameleon 234v The snail 234v The snake <foreign xml:lang="ara">حية</foreign> 235r The earthworms 235v The beetle 235v The silkworm 236r The fly 236r The Spanish fly (cantharides) 236v The wasp 236v The turtle 237r ? <corr instant="false"> <foreign xml:lang="ara">صناجة</foreign> </corr> 237r The cricket ? <foreign xml:lang="ara">صرصر</foreign> 237v The lizard 237v The eyed skink? <foreign xml:lang="ara">عضاىة</foreign> 238r The scorpion 238r The mouse (rat) 239r The moth 239r The hedgehog 239v The bee 240v-241v Illuminated Ūnwān The final [chapter] on the oddly shaped animals الخاتم في حيوانات عجيبة الاشكال 240[a]r Strange creatures living on islands with wings and horse heads 240[a]v Strange creatures living on some of the islands of the Chinese sea without necks 241v A strange creature, which is a woman from the waist down with two male upper bodies 242r Triangle shaped colophon containing the date of completion 16 Jumadi al-akhar 974 Decorated final page with floral design Paper 244 ff. 35 24 23 13.3 17 lines to the page Arabic quotations written with gold, also the headings of sections in a richly ornamented field of blue and gold. The manuscript has numerous illuminated miniatures and coloured diagrams finely executed. A description of the manuscript on 243r in Latin signed by Saloman Negri Saloman Negri 974 AH / 1566 CE Donated by the son of G. Lewis (d. 1729) in 1770. Manuscript description based on E.G. Browne: A catalogue of the Persian manuscripts in the Library of the University of Cambridge. Cambridge, 1896. The text does not agree, as stated by Browne, with the Wüstenfeld edition of the Arabic original, but shows substantial variations.

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 Descriptions of the manuscript A hand-list of the Muḥammadan manuscripts: including all those written in the Arabic character, preserved in the library of the University of Cambridge contributor Edward Granville Browne Cambridge University Library Cambridge University Press 1900 119 A catalogue of the Persian manuscripts in the library of the University of Cambridge Cambridge University Library contributor Edward Granville Browne Cambridge University Press 1896 208 Library of Congress Subject Headings Image Role Typology document-thumbnail download thumbnail translation Cosmography--Early works to 1800 Zoology--Pre-Linnean works Curiosities and wonders--Early works to 1900 Yasmin Faghihi