The research trips were kicked off by a short stay in Vienna, where we studied a Safina manuscript (ANL N.F. 143) in the Austrian National Library. This manuscript contains a collection of poems, mainly ghazals by various Persian poets, and was completed in Shiraz in 865 AH/1460 CE, as can be gathered from the colophon at the end of the manuscript.
Why is the manuscript relevant for the project? Gold-flecked paper was used! This manuscript was the first occasion on which we tested the devices that were to accompany us on our subsequent study trips, namely the calliper for measuring the thickness of the paper, the light sheet for determining and counting the laid and chain lines, and the so-called DinoLite, a small microscope that is capable of taking detailed images in high resolution, also in infrared and with UV light.
ANL N.F. 143
The life cycle of a manuscript includes not only text and decoration, but also glosses, annotations, seals, and other notes from owners and users. These were recorded and photographed. Thank you to the curator for letting us have such a close look at the manuscript!
This concluded our first research trip – but not without a visit to Dr Bruno De Nicola from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, with whom we discussed the database for his “Nomads’ Manuscripts Landscape” project. Here we were also invited to an exciting upcoming conference in Uzbekistan – stay tuned!
Ilse and Theresa with Dr Bruno de Nicola (ÖAW)