Shahnama Project : Shahnama

Firdausi

Shahnama Project

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>Two detached folios from the same manuscript. The page dimensions vary slightly (Dr. 1986..103, is 352 x 247), and the size of the text block also (Dr. 1986.. 103, is 229 x 155 on the recto [text] side, and more notably has a larger frame for the painting on the verso side, 235 x 163). Both leaves have densely decorated and finely drawn gold floral and abstract designs in the margins, though the two leaves are slightly different in this regard. Dr. 1986.. 103, has several identical seals of ownership stamped in the margins (still to be identified).</p><p>Apart from their dimensions, the common origin of the two pages is clear from the design of the recto (text) sides, which have identical designs of chalipa script (making it uncertain how many lines per page are to be found on a 'normal' page). The rulings are also identical:</p><p>Margins: blue, space, 2 thin black with gold, thick gold, thin green, thin dark red, thin blue, 2 thin black with gold.</p><p>Columns: two x 2 thin back with gold (intercolumnar space blank).</p><p>Rubrics: 2 thin black with gold. Heading in red thulth on a plain ground, surrounded by a 'cloud', filled to the edges with gold cross-hatching.</p><p>The date is adopted from the dossier concerning Dr. 1986.. 102 (ca. 1550). The place of production is perhaps Shiraz.</p><p>No images available at present.</p></p>