Description
Walters manuscript W.602, a copy of Firdawsi's Shahnamah (Book of kings) was written by Muhammad Mirak ibn Mir Muhammad al-Husayni al-Ustadi, most probably in Herat (present-day Afghanistan). It was completed in 1028 AH/AD 1618-1619. There are two Arabic colophons, one at the end of the preface (fol. 7a) and the other at the end of part 1 (fol. 334a). The preface is by Abu Mansur Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Razzaq, who composed it in 346 AH/AD 957-958. Although incomplete at the end, the manuscript contains 83 illustrations. Some are by a later hand and attributed to Safavid artists Riza 'Abbasi and Shaykh 'Abbasi in the 11th century AH/AD 17th (fols. 55b, 62b, 391b, 476b, and 479b). The lacquer binding is not contemporary with the manuscript and dates to the 13th century AH/AD 19th.
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