Description of University of Pennsylvania LJS 459: Sirr al-asrār. University of Pennsylvania These images and the content of Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts LJS 459: Sirr al-asrār. are free of known copyright restrictions and in the public domain. See the Creative Commons Public Domain Mark page for usage details, http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. Metadata is © and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License version 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. For a description of the terms of use see the Creative Commons Deed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Ms. codex. Title from introduction (f. 1v). 3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6206 University of Pennsylvania Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts LJS 459 9958033443503681 http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/802371094 http://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017/d/medren/5803344 Early copy of the long form of this popular treatise presented as a letter from Aristotle to Alexander the Great on statecraft, astronomy, astrology, magic, and medicine. The ending of the manuscript is missing; the text breaks off during a discussion of magical alphabets. Arabic Sirr al-asrār. سر الاسرار attributed name Aristotle former owner Nūr al-Dīn Arslān Shah نور الدين ارسلان شاه، former owner Schoenberg, Lawrence J

paper

 127 leaves : 190 x 127 (120 x 65) mm. bound to 190 x 140 mm Paper, i + 127; 1-127, later foliation ink, upper left recto. Written in 9 long lines. Written in naskh script, with some headings in a larger naskh and some in thuluth; opening bismillāh in Early Abbasid style script (f. 1v); occasional marginal notes in a later hand. Illuminated name and titles of Nūr al-Dīn Arslān Shah (f. 1r); bismillāh in blue ink outlined in red (f. 1v); open octagon in gold, red, and blue, with text running around the edge (f. 80r); geometric illustration in black, gold, and red (f. 108v); tables outlined in red ink with headings in red and green ink (f. 114v-117r); names of the planets in colored inks (f. 124r); significant words, phrases, and punctuation in red ink. Illuminated ownership inscription, f. 1r Decorated basmalah, f. 1v Illuminated text, f. 7r Illuminated drawing, Octagon, f. 80r Illuminated drawing, f. 108v Table, f. 114v Table, f. 115r Table, f. 115v Table, f. 116r Table, f. 116v Table, f. 117r Illuminated text, f. 124r

15th-century blind-stamped morocco with flap (Type II), different but coordinating stamps on each board and flap; repaired.

Probably written in Mosul, Iraq, between 1193 and 1211 (reign of owner named on f. 1r).

between 1193 and 1211 Mosul?, Iraq Formerly owned by Nūr al-Dīn Arslān Shah, Turkmen ruler of Mosul, 1193-1211 (illuminated name, f. 1r). Sold by Sam Fogg Ltd., Islamic Calligraphy catalog (2003), no. 25, to Lawrence J. Schoenberg. Deposit by Lawrence J. Schoenberg and Barbara Brizdle, 2012. Gift of Barbara Brizdle Schoenberg, 2016. Education of princes--Early works to 1800 Kings and rulers--Duties--Early works to 1800 Political ethics--Early works to 1800 Astronomy--Early works to 1800 Islamic magic--Early works to 1800 Codices Illuminations Tables (documents) Treatises Manuscripts, Arabic--12th century Manuscripts, Arabic--13th century Manuscripts, Medieval