[IO Islamic 118] شاهنامه

<strong>Shâhnâma</strong><strong>.</strong> <strong>This manuscript is now IO Islamic 861 in the India Office collections.</strong> <strong>[metadata:</strong> <strong>Hermann Ethé</strong><strong><em>, </em></strong><strong><em>Catalogue of Persian Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office,</em></strong> <strong>2 vols. (Oxford: India Office, 1903): volume 1,</strong> <strong>number 118 here with notations and hyperlinks].</strong> 861 Another copy of the same. Contents: The older preface on fol. 1^b, beginning as in the preceding copy. Genealogical index of all the Persian kings, quoted by Firdausî, on fol. 7^a. Another genealogical index in verse ( فهرست منظوم شاهنامه), on fol. 9^a. Alphabetical index of the Pahlawî (and other uncommon) words, used by Firdausî in his epopee, on fol. 10^b. The poem itself is divided into <em>two halves</em>, viz.: <em>First half</em>, on fol. 12^b, beginning: بنام خداوند جان و خرد الخ. <em>Second half</em>, on fol. 318^b, beginning with Gushtâsp’s reign: چو گشتاسپ را داد لهراسپ تخت الخ. The <em>first half</em> is dated by Ḥâfiż Aḥmad bin Muḥammad the 23rd of Ramaḍân, A.H. 1009 (A.D. 1601, March 28); the second is not dated. No. 118, ff. 596, 4 coll., each ll. 25; Nasta’lîḳ; vignettes on ff. 1^a, 12^a, and 318^a; illuminated frontispieces on ff. 1^b, 12^b, and 318^b; pictures on ff. 338^a, 365^a, and 430^b. Part of ff. 58^a, 79^a, 102^b, and 180^b left blank; many headings and single verses missing or injured; ff. 487 and 556 supplied by a more modern hand; size, 13^3/8 in. by 9^3/8 in.