Shahnama Project : Shahnama (Teignmouth)

Firdausi

Shahnama Project

Formerly recorded as MS 11 (2005.1.268) in the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in Geneva.This manuscript was given to John Shore, first Baron Teignmouth (1751-1834), by his instructor in Indian languages about 1775. The book’s earlier history and the date of its move from Iran to India are not known. Some time after it came into the possession of Baron Teignmouth, the manuscript was nearly lost in the Ganges when the boat transporting it capsized. The memory of this unfortunate event is preserved by the book’s margins, most of which are waterstained. After Baron Teignmouth returned to Great Britain, the manuscript was loaned to the noted Orientalist, Sir William Ouseley, whose 17 July 1827, letter of thanks is appended to this book. The Teignmouth Shahnama became part of the Kevorkian collection on 16 June 1952, and entered the present collection on 1 December 1969. Nothing is known about the scribe Mahmud ibn Muhammad ibn Mahmud al-Jamali, other than the fact that he was responsible for the text of two other manuscripts: an 857(1453) Divan of the early Timurid mystical poet Qasim al-Anwar and an 867 (1463) Khamsa of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi.The Prose Preface is on ff. 2v-8r; the poem starts on f. 8v [but see note below]. There are further illuminated 'unvans at ff.126v, 268v and 361v, marking the last three daftars.Binding is early 19th c. dark blue leather, by H. Walter. Grey marbled paper doublures.For detailed descriptions see Anthony Welch, Collection of Islamic Art, vol. IV (1978), pp. 12-15, with references; also the unpublished catalogue by Moya Carey, vol. I (2002), pp. 434-40. There is a persistent disagreement between these two over the foliation, Carey giving a figure 1 higher than Welch, i.e. fol. 11v for 10v, etc.and over the number of folios altogether. Initial recording for the SN Project by Afsaneh Firouz (AF) appears to agree with Welch but Carey's foliation is generally followed here, especially for the last few entries (Ch.M.).The illuminated double page over the start of the poem is available on the AKM website, identified as ff. 8v-9r, but seemingly 7v-8r; there are therefore still problems over the correct foliation of this ms., still to be clarified.The study by Robinson, Persian Paintings, 1951, identifies 3 artists at work, mainly the 'Teignmouth painter', who was responsible for 50 of the pictures; see also Welch, IV, pp. 14-15, and Robinson,Fifteenth-century Persian painting, problems and issues, pp. 26, 41.