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Laylī va Majnūn: Manuscript

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Held at: Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center [Contact Us]

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

An illustrated manuscript copy from Qajar, Persia (now Iran) of Layla and Majnun, the medieval tragic romance of Qays ibn al-Mulawwah and his lover Layla bint Mahdi (later known as Layla al-Aamiriya) told in verse in Farsi. Originally composed by Nizami Ganjavi in the 12th century as the third part of his Khamsa, and later reworked by Maktabi Shirazi.

Manuscript codex.

Card for Mirza Mahmoud Khan, Chargé d'Affaires de Perse, and a postcard of Iranian Parliament member Djelil Khan, laid in.

Unfoliated.

17 lines in two columns.

Paper, 73 + ii.

Written in Nasta'liq in black and red ink.

Gold and polychrome heading opening the text (f. 1v). Leaves double ruled in red, blue, and gold. 26 color illustrations in Qajar style (f. 11v, 12v, 16v, 18v, 21v, 24r, 25v, 29r, 31v, 35v, 37v, 39r, 43v, 46v, 48v, 50r, 52r, 55r, 61r, 62r, 63r, 64v, 66r, 69r, 70v).

Copy completed on 13 Muharram 1(2)54 (1838-1839 CE) by Karam'ali.

Contemporary leather-backed gilt lacquered boards with floral sprays framed within corner-pieces and a gilt border, contemporary paper label on spine with title of work in Farsi.

Purchased from Shapero Rare Books Ltd, 2023.

Processed in August 2023 by Katy Rawdon, Coordinator of Technical Resources.

Publisher
Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center
Finding Aid Author
Katy Rawdon, Coordinator of Technical Services
Finding Aid Date
August 2023
Access Restrictions

Open for research.

Use Restrictions

The Laylī va Majnūn Manuscript is the physical property of the Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. The creator/donor has not assigned their rights to Temple University Libraries. Other creators' intellectual property rights, including copyright, belong to them or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for determining the identity of rights holders and obtaining their permission for publication and for other purposes where stated.

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