Collection ID: 0021 | Metadata type: TEI | TEI XML | Data

Title

Kitab al-lamha (Book of Light)

Authors

• al-Samri/al-Sawi al-Isra'ili, Abu Sa'd ibn Abi al-Surur (active 13th century)

Other related names

• Gaster, Moses 1856-1939, former owner (http://viaf.org/viaf/12428346)

Call number

Gaster Hebrew MS 1423
(Manchester, United Kingdom, University of Manchester, University of Manchester Library, Hebrew Manuscripts)

Alternate identifiers

• Former: Gaster 1423

Publisher

University of Manchester Library

Language

Hebrew; Judeo-Arabic

Origin

Place

Unknown

Summary

Book on medicine in Judeo-Arabic, entitled Book of Light (Kitab al-lamha). This is probably the Kitab al-lamha al-'afifa fi'l-tibb (اللمحة العفيفة في الطبكتاب) by the thirteenth-century Cairene physician Abu Sa'd ibn Abi al-Surur al-Isra'ili (cf. the marginal note on folio 106a). This work might be a commentary on Ibn Sina's Qanun. The work contains a treatment of so-called topical diseases, that is, diseases specific to a certain part of the body. It starts with headaches (צדאע) and ends with emaciation (הזאל). Incomplete at the beginning (one folio missing). For basic information about the author see the bibliography. Emilie Savage-Smith, who describes a manuscript with a commentary on the Kitab al-Lamhah al-'afifah, refers to the author as al-Sawi, whereas Sotheby's lot description mentions al-Samri.

Notes

• Slight water damage, several pages detached.
   

Extent

Iii+162+iii; 185 x 126 mm

Foliation

Foliation in modern Arabic numerals at the bottom left corner of each folio. Full foliation (1-163) was added in 2018 after digitisation. Before digitisation only folios 1-2 and '160-164' were numbered, whereby the latter were added at the top being one folio out of sink. Hebrew foliation at the top outer corner of side a of each folio from ב to קס, corresponding to folios 1-159.

Support

Paper

Binding

Modern black binding.

Layout

Long line with 25 written lines. Dry-stylus ruling of lines and margins. Written area: 130 x 75 mm

Decoration

The initial words in this manuscript vary in color and are alternately green, red, violet, blank and black. Some letters are decorated with dots, colored outlining and small crowns or floral motifs. Some catchwords are also decorated with an ink line and a triangle of three dots.

Script

Sephardi semi-cursive script

Provenance

• Acquired by The John Rylands Library from the heirs of Moses Gaster. Handwritten label on spine reading in 3 lines in Hebrew: "כתאב/ אל /למחק/1423". Front paste-down: Handwritten in pencil "Kitab al Lumha". Folio ia: Handwritten in blue crayon number 1423. Folio 1a: Signature of Moses Gaster. Folio 1a: Owner's name repeated thrice: יוסף אסיה הארופיה. The third time, which is in a different hand, the patronymics were added: בין מושה ובין יעקב. Folio 162a: Ownership note by the same person mentioned on folio 1a, including the date 561 [= 1801].
   

Related resources

• E. Savage-Smith, A New Catalogue of Arabic Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, vol. I: Medicine, Oxford, 2011, p.355, no.79 (http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/699733699)
• Sotheby's Auction 'Arts of the Islamic World', 07 October 2015, lot. 208. (http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2015/arts-islamic-world-l15223/lot.208.html)

Subjects topical

• Medicine--Early works to 1800
• Magic

Keywords

• Magic
• Science -- Medicine
• 18th century

Licenses

• Text

  Images are ©2018 University of Manchester Library, Special Collections 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/.

  URL

  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

• Text

  Metadata is ©2018 University of Manchester Library, Special Collections 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/.

  URL

  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

Table of contents

• 1a — Kitab al-lamha; incipit: אסתפראג אלעלאג ינבגי אן ילטף אל כלט אלסודאוי פי אלי / אבתדא ויהייא ללי; explicit: מכתצה בבעץ אל אעצא / דון בעץ / ואללה אעלם ואלטף ואחכם ולמא פרג / אל מצנף מן אל אמראץ אל