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The Islamic Manuscript Association
Introduction to Islamic Codicology
Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA3-7 August 2015
The Islamic Manuscript Association
Introduction to Islamic Codicology
Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA3-7 August 2015
Codicology Five-one:bindings
Prof. Jan Just Witkam(Leiden University Institute for Area Studies (LIAS),
Leiden, The Netherlands)www.janjustwitkam.nl
www.islamicmanuscripts.info
The bookbinder at work. A survey of the tools of the bookbinder.
Captions are in Persian, illustration from a Kashmiri manuscript (originally in colour) illustrating arts and crafts (written c. 1850-1860).
Source: Original MS: India Office Library, London, Or. 1699, here quoted from G. Bosch (a.o.), Islamic bindings. Chicago 1981, p. 22.
The bookbinder at work. North India, 17th or 18th century.
Source: Original in India Office Library, Add. 1111. Quoted from G. Bosch (a.o.), Islamic bindings. Chicago 1981, opposite p. 41.
The Islamic bookbinding and its constituent parts.Source: J.A. Szirmai, The archaeology of medieval bookbinding(Aldershot 1999), plate 5.1
The Islamic bookbinding and its constituent parts, with terminology in English.
Source: G. Bosch (a.o.), Islamic bindings. Chicago 1981, p. 38.
The study of the geometrical designs in Islamic book bindings is usually classified as part of art history. In order to have good reproductions of book bindings rubbings are used, in preference to photographs.
Here a rubbing (made by Max Weisweiler) of the binding around a MS of Gawidan-i Khirad (al-Hikma al-Khalida) by Ibn Miskawayhi (d. 421/1030), dated 729/1329, is shown. One should always take into account that the binding shown is later than the manuscript to which it serves as a cover.Source: MS Leiden, Or. 640 (MS dated 729/1329).
One of the best-known authorities on Islamic book bindings is Max Weisweiler (d. 1968). In his detailed study Der islamische Bucheinband des Mittelalters nach Handschriften aus deutschen, holländischen und türkischen Bibliotheken(Wiesbaden 1962), he showed a great number of rubbings.
However, in his private collection of study materials he has many more rubbings and notes on Islamic bindings. A page from his study notes is shown here. Source: Weisweiler Archive. Leiden University Library, Or. 22.307.
Binding of guz’ 30 of a set of thirty, of a Mamluk Qur’an, Egypt, end of 14th century. Waqf of Sultan Barquq.
Format: 37,4 x 26,2 cm
Source: Paris, BnF, Arabe 5846.
Binding of Sirat al-Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir Salah al-Dunya wal-Din, by Ibn Shaddad (d. 632/1234), MS dated 834/1430. Egypt.Format: 31.4 x 20.5 cm. Arabesque based on a circle divided into 6.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 9
Title-page of Sirat al-Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir Salah al-Dunya wal-Din, by Ibn Shaddad (d. 632/1234), MS dated 834/1430. Egypt.
With ex-libris of Abu al-Mahasin Yusuf b. […] Muhammad b. […], apparently a high-ranked Egyptian.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 9
Binding of Futuh al-Sha’mby pseudo-Waqidi, dated 831/1428.
Format: 27.3 x 17 cm
Arabesque based on a circle divided into 12.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 43
Binding of Suluk al-Malik fi Tadbir al-Mamalik, by Abu al-`Abbas Ahmad b. Muhammad known as Ibn Abi al-Rabi` al-Hakim (655/1256?). MS dated 880/1475.
Arabesque based on an ellipse with division into 12.
Format: 27.7 x 18 cm
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 45, endboard
Max Weisweiler’s rubbing of the binding of Suluk al-Malik fi Tadbir al-Mamalik, by Abu al-`Abbas Ahmad b. Muhammad known as Ibn Abi al-Rabi` al-Hakim (655/1256?). MS dated 880/1475.
Arabesque based on an ellipse with division into 12.
Format: 27.7 x 18 cm
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 45, endboard; Weisweiler, Bucheinband, Tafel 6, figure 58.
Binding of al-Farag ba`d al-Shidda, by al-Muhassin b. `Ali al-Tanukhi (d. 384/994)MS dated 890/1485.
Centre piece in the form of a pointed ellipse. Internal arabesque based upon a circle into 4.
Format: 26.9 x 17.3 cm
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 61
Illuminated title-page of al-Farag ba`d al-Shidda, by al-Muhassin b. `Ali al-Tanukhi (d. 384/994)MS dated 890/1485.
Cartouche on top with title and author. Circular centre piece with ex-libris: bi-Rasm Khizanat al-Maqarr al-Ashraf al-`Ali al-Mawlawi al-Qadiri (?) al-Gamali Galis al-Muluk wal-Salatin Gamal al-Milla wal-Din Abi al-Mahasin Yusuf al-Shafi`i Madhhaban Sahib Diwan al-Mamalik al-Sharifa al-Sultaniyya wa-Nazir al-Bimaristan fil-Dhakhira al-Sharifa wa-ma ma`a dhalika `azzama Allah Sha’nahu.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 61
Binding of al-Farag ba`d al-Shidda, by al-Muhassin b. `Ali al-Tanukhi (d. 384/994). MS dated 890/1485. Centre piece in the form of a pointed ellipse. Internal arabesque based upon a circle into 4. Flap has a matching ornament. Title on fore edge. Source: MS Leiden, Or. 61
Binding of volume 2 of Murug al-Dhahab wa-Ma`adin al-Gawahir fi Tuhaf al-Ashraf min al-Muluk wa-Ahl al-Dirayat by `Ali b. al-Husayn al-Mas`udi (d. 345/956).
MS not dated, Maghrib, 14th
or 15th century
Circular centre piece with arabesque based on a circle divided into 8.
Format: 22 x 16 cm
Source: MS Leiden Or. 127
Binding of guz’ 21 of a set of thirty of a Mamluk Qur’an. Egypt, end 14th century.
Filigree work against a background of green silk.
Format: 37.3 x 26.4 cm
Bron: Paris, BnF, Arabe 5845.
Binding of volume 3, of a set of five, of a Maghribi Qur’an, possibly from Tunis, c. 1405.
Format: 17.5 x 11 cm
Bron: Paris, BnF, Arabe 391.
Binding of volume 6 of a set of eight volumes of a Maghribi Qur’an.North Africa, end 15th century.
Format: 38.5 x 27.2 cm
Bron: Paris, BnF, Arabe 440.
A severe case of the corrosion of the ferrous elements in ink. The text destroys itself, in a process that cannot be stopped. This manuscript is lost.
Title-page of a selection (al-Mukhtar) of the Kitab Tadbir Duwal, author not mentioned.
A manuscript dated (on p. 148) 738/1338. Copied by a (great)grandson (?) of Ibn ‘Asakir.
Source: Beirut, AUB, Khuri 354, p. 1.
A severe case of the corrosion of the ferrous elements in ink. The text destroys itself, in a process that cannot be stopped. This manuscript is lost. Final pages of a selection (al-Mukhtar) of the Kitab Tadbir Duwal, author not mentioned. A manuscript dated (on p. 148) 738/1338. Copied by a (great)grandson (?) of Ibn ‘Asakir. Source: Beirut, AUB, Khuri 354, pp. 143-144.
The used papers (maculature), which constitute the carton board of a binding. Sharḥ al-Miṣbāḥ al-Musammā bil-Iftitāḥ, a commentary on al-Miṣbāḥ fil-Naḥw by al-Muṭarrizī (d. 610/1213). Manuscript dated 968 (1560-1561). Source: Stanford, O-90928922, inside end board.
The Islamic Manuscript Association
Introduction to Islamic Codicology
Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA3-7 August 2015
Codicology Five-two:diverse subjectsProf. Jan Just Witkam
(Leiden University Institute for Area Studies (LIAS), Leiden, The Netherlands)
www.janjustwitkam.nlwww.islamicmanuscripts.info
Istakhri’s World map (4/10th century). The world seen as a flat disc, surrounded by the Ocean. Kitab al-Masalik wal-Mamalik. Manuscript dated 589/1193. Source: MS Leiden, Or. 3101, pp. 4-5.
Sacred geography.
The Ka‘ba in Mecca here shown as the centre of the world.
Illustration in a Turkish manuscript, dated 1060/1650.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 12.365, f. 90b
Sacred geography.
De Ka’ba in Mecca, seen from above, as the centre of the world, with the orientation for the believers for their ritual prayer.
The text around contruction contains the names of Islamic countries, regions and towns..
Manuscript from Istanbul, dated 960/1553
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 5, f. 37a
The mosques of Mecca and of Medina.
Images from the magical part of the prayer book of the Imam Bonjol.
A visualization of the shahadaformula.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 1751, ff. 68b-69a.
Graveyard Baqî’ al-Gharqad, outside Medina.
The graves of members of the family of the Prophet (also of his favourite wife A’isha) and many other saints and believers.
It is a place to be buried, or to visit and ask for intercession (shafâ’a).
Shortly after the Saudi conquest of Medina (1925) the graveyard was destroyed.
Source: al-Lari, Tuhfat al-Haramayn, MS Leiden Or. 11.079, f. 38b (1012/1603).
Baqi‘ al-Gharqad, in Medina, with its numerous burial places.
From a manuscript from Kalyani, India, 20th-century.
Source: MS Kuala Lumpur, ISTAC, Cat. Arabic. Vol. 2, No. 61, f. 8b
Medina and its burial places, here combined from several icographical elements.
The palms of van Fatima (above), a grill (above), the grave of the Prophet (centre, below), the graves of the four righteous caliphs (left, below). At the right and the centre graves of the family of the Prophet and other saints (orang baik).
From a manuscript from Natal, West-Sumatra, Indonesia, dated 1229/1814.Source: Prayer book of Imam Bonjol, MS Leiden Or. 1751, f. 69b.
Baqi` al-Gharqad, photograph of the cemetery as it was, early 20th-century or late 19th-century. In and after 1925 most individual graves were made unrecognizable.
Source: Taha & al-Bakri, Baqi` al-Gharqad, Medina 1424/2004, p. 72.
Baqi` al-Gharqad, photograph of the cemetery, early 21st-century or late 20th-century. Individual graves are now unmarked. Most graves are indicated with anonymous stones. Source: Taha & al-Bakri, Baqi` al-Gharqad, Medina 1424/2004, p. 84.
Division of labour. The placing of ‘representants’, substitutes, in the margin as an indication for the rubricator where he should write the paragraph headings in red ink. Usually the representants disappear when the bookbindinder cuts the paper to size.Taysir al-Maram ‘ala Shurut al-Imam‘ala al-Tamam, by al-Matbuli. Source: Beirut, AUB, Khuri 476, pp. 167-168.
The beginning of the chapter on the pointing of Qur’an manuscripts, in al-Muqni‘ by al-Dani. Manuscript dated 743 AH. Source: Beirut, AUB, Khuri 248, pp. 160-161
Fawa’id, useful notes of all sorts, can be found on blank spaces in numerous manuscripts. They do not belong to the main text in the volume, but are additions by the copyist, by the owner of the manuscript, or just by a reader. They reflect interests expressed by any of these persons on an enormous variety of subjects.
Here is a passage taken from the Tafsirof Ibn al-‘Adil with a count of the times that Gibril came down for any one of the prophets.
Source: Beirut, AUB, Khuri 481, p. 174.
Title-page of the fourth part (out of four) of Sharh al-Aqta‘, in the hand of Yusus al-‘Umary al-Hanafi.
A manuscript not dated, but before 776/1374, which date is given in an ownership’s note on p. 427
Apart from several notes of ownership one sees Kabikaj.
Source: Beirut, AUB, Khuri 489, title-page
Title-page of part 1 of the Book Fawâ’id al-Hadith by Tammam al-Razi (end 10th/early 11th century, working in Baghdad). MS dated 1190.
Structure of information on the title-page:- Title and author;- Four transmitters;- Additional transmitters;- Many reading notes by famous scholars, first in Damascus, later in Cairo, over a period of more than two centuries.Source: MS Leiden, Or. 580, f. 2a.
End of part 1 (= quire 1) of the Book Fawâ’id al-Hadith by Tammam al-Razi (end 10th/early 11th century, working in Baghdad). MS dated 1190.
The text is followed by many protocols of reading sessions (occupying nine leaves), first held in Damascus, later in Cairo, over a period of more than two centuries.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 580, f. 11b.
Ruling by mould: ruling as part of the structure of this custom made paper, an as yet unknown phenomenon.
The slight irregularity and lack of straightness of the lines reflect the pressure exerted by the weight of the pulp and the water on the mould.
Undated manuscript, possibly 9th/15th century.
Source: MS Leiden Or. 4, f. 72a, detail, as seen through the paper.
Point of transition from copyist No. 1 to copyist No. 2. There is not much difference in the number of words to the line, but the ductus is distinctly different. Source: MS Leiden Or. 4, f. 119b, detail.
Point of transition from copyist No. 3 (19-27 words to the line), back to copyist No. 1 (32-37 words to the line). The switch back to copyist No. 1 may point to teamwork in the production of the MS.
Source: MS Leiden Or. 4, f. 179b, detail.
Means of internal organization of MS Leiden Or. 4
Leiden, Or. 4, f. 89aQuire-mark 10, Oriental foliation, European foliation.
Leiden, Or. 4, f. 169aQuire-mark 18, European foliation.
Leiden, Or. 4, f. 89a, quire mark with short title.
Leiden, Or. 4, ff. 326b-327a,catchword with offset on opposite page.
Collation with two sigla. Source: MS Leiden, Or. 84, f. 5a, detail.
Collation (balagha) note in outer margin, written before binding of the volume. Source: MS Leiden, Or. 84, f. 16a, detail.
Correction: strike through, covered with red ink. Source: MS Leiden, Or. 84, f. 112a, detail.
Correction: written on erasure, adding of vocalization and ihmalsign for clarification. Source: MS Leiden, Or. 84, f. 113b, detail.
Evident emendation, with mark za’, for zahir, evident (?).Source: MS Leiden, Or. 84, f. 187b, detail.
Surat al-Fatihain an illuminated Qur’an with Turkish interlinear translation.
It is a word by word translation, with occasional commentary, all in old Anatolian Turkish.
In this way the reciter of the Arabic text would know the precise meaning, even if his knowledge of Arabic was imperfect.
Manuscript dated Gallipoli, 5 Ragab 926 (1520), copied by Mehmed b. Sarukhân.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 504, f. 1b
Islam in action in a multicultural South-East Asian environment: An offering to appease the demons is carried out by a Muslim for two Chinese. A Muslim pangulu (teacher/cleric) recites the Koran for a group of followers. Bali, c. 1890. Source: MS Leiden, Or. 3390-256 A.
al-Gawâhir al-Khamsa,a mystical text on gestures andsounds during dhikr, by Muhammad b. Khatir al-Din al-Ghawth al-Hindi (d. 970/ 1562).
Arabic text with Javanese interlinear translation. Part of a collective volume. Javanese in specific Islamic text is often written with the Arabic script.
Written on treebark paper (dluang), heavily affected by insects. Dated: first half 19th cent.
Source: MS Leiden Or. 5665, f. 111b
Examples of book art: the basmala
1. In an Arabic manuscript from Sumatra, Anis al-Muttaqin, ascribed to the 18th century Sumatran author Abdussamad al-Palimbani.Source: MS Leiden Or. 7030, pp. 218, 243, details
2. In Asrâr as-salât, and other fragments in Arabic, with interlinear Malay translation. Arabic orthography is often faulty.
Source: MS Leiden Or. 7355, p. 59, detail
En‘am-i Sherif, an Ottoman prayerbook, Second part, a collection of calligraphic and pictorial panels. Here prints of the right hand and the right foot of the Prophet Muhammad. Source image: Victoria BC, McPherson Library, MS 1995-014, pp. 356-357.
En‘am-i Sherif, an Ottoman prayerbook. Musa’s stick, his prayer rug and his prayer mat (right); the rose of the Prophet Muhammad, with ten leaves with the names of the eight (out of ten) of the ‘Ashara Mubashshara, and the Prophet’s two grandsons. Source image: Victoria BC, McPherson Library, MS 1995-014, pp. 360-361.
En‘am-i Sherif, an Ottoman prayerbook.The Tuba tree in Paradise (right); the remains of the Prophet Muhammad (left): his mantle (khirqa), his book (kalam-i qadim), his prayer beads (tasbih), his water jar (ibriq), his basin (lakan).Source image: Victoria BC, McPherson Library, MS 1995-014, pp. 368-369.
The misprint of the stamp shows that a mechanical device has been used.
Source image: MS Istanbul, Milli Kütüphane, C 44. Taken from: Nil Baydar, ‘Newly identified techniques in the production of Islamic manuscripts’, 2010, p. 72, fig. 8
Efficiency and division of labour in the production of Mamluk Qur’ans. Mixed techniques.
A detailed study of Mamluk Qur’an manuscripts shows that these are produced in workshops where an elaborate division of labour was put in place. Some twenty workers of different qualifications may have been involved in the production of high quality manuscripts.
Example: Aya-dividers were usually made with mechanical tools, stamps.
1. Red circle stamped (by expert)2. Red circle covered with gold leaf.3. Gold leaf covered by stamp with floral design4. Colours (red and blue) added to the petals and the center of the floral design.
Panglima Polim’s purse, Aceh, Indonesia.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 8159
Panglima Polim, after 1903
Source image: Snouck Hurgronje Archive, Leiden University Library.
With an owner's notes on f. 2b: ‘Hadha al-Kitab Hak seri mudapraksa teuku panglima duapuluh dua. Amin.' (This book belongs to His Majesty, Teuku Panglima of the twenty-two [Mukims]. Amen). Panglima Polim’s purse, Aceh, Indonesia. Source: MS Leiden, Or. 8159
The fifth compartment contains a single leaf of paper, with a note on outstanding debts of Teuku Panglima Polim.
Panglima Polim’s purse, Aceh, Indonesia. Source: MS Leiden, Or. 8159