Banner featuring Arabic calligraphy in dark blue ink above the words Islamic Medical Manuscripts at the National Library of Medicine written in burgundy ink.

Catalogue: Natural History

‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (MS P 3): (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing); كتاب عجائب المخلوقات وغرائب الموجودات; by Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī; زكرياء ابن محمد القزوينى

Illustrations

Folio 25a from Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing), featuring the constellation Ursa Minor drawn using opaque watercolors and ink in the middle of the text. The thin, light-brown, lightly glossed paper has vertical laid lines. The text is written in a careful medium-small nasta‘liq script, in black ink with headings in red. The text is enclosed in frames formed of one blue and two red thin lines.

MS P 3, fol. 25a

The constellation Ursa Minor. From a copy of ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) by al-Qazwīnī (d. 1283/682). Neither the copyist nor illustrator is named, and the copy is undated. The nature of paper, script, ink, and illustrations suggests that it was produced in western India in the 18th century.

Folio 93b from Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing), featuring four mythical creatures: A long-tailed green bird, a human-headed fish, a flying fish, and a large fish drawn using opaque watercolors and ink in the middle of the text. The thin, light-brown, lightly glossed paper has vertical laid lines. The text is written in a careful medium-small nasta‘liq script, in black ink with headings in red. The text is enclosed in frames formed of one blue and two red thin lines.

MS P 3, fol. 93b

Four mythical creatures: A long-tailed green bird, a human-headed fish, a flying fish, and a large fish. From a copy of ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) by al-Qazwīnī (d. 1283/682). Neither the copyist nor illustrator is named, and the copy is undated. The nature of paper, script, ink, and illustrations suggests that it was produced in western India in the 18th century.

Folio 106a from Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing), featuring a female with long hair behind a very long fish, and, below, a snake drawn using opaque watercolors and ink in the middle of the text. The thin, light-brown, lightly glossed paper has vertical laid lines. The text is written in a careful medium-small nasta‘liq script, in black ink with headings in red. The text is enclosed in frames formed of one blue and two red thin lines.

MS P 3, fol. 106a

At the top, a female with long hair behind a very long fish, and, below, a snake. From a copy of ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) by al-Qazwīnī (d. 1283/682). Neither the copyist nor illustrator is named, and the copy is undated. The nature of paper, script, ink, and illustrations suggests that it was produced in western India in the 18th century.

Folio 108a from Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing), featuring a bullock, labelled baqar al-ma' ('cattle of the sea') and below a long fish drawn using opaque watercolors and ink in the middle of the text. The thin, light-brown, lightly glossed paper has vertical laid lines. The text is written in a careful medium-small nasta‘liq script, in black ink with headings in red. The text is enclosed in frames formed of one blue and two red thin lines.

MS P 3, fol. 108a

Above: a bullock, labelled baqar al-ma' ('cattle of the sea'). Below: a long fish. From a copy of ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) by al-Qazwīnī (d. 1283/682). Neither the copyist nor illustrator is named, and the copy is undated. The nature of paper, script, ink, and illustrations suggests that it was produced in western India in the 18th century.

Folio 115a from Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing), featuring a white horse drawn using opaque watercolors and ink in the middle of the text. The thin, light-brown, lightly glossed paper has vertical laid lines. The text is written in a careful medium-small nasta‘liq script, in black ink with headings in red. The text is enclosed in frames formed of one blue and two red thin lines. There is a note in the left margin.

MS P 3, fol. 115a

A white horse illustrating a chapter titled faras al-ma' or 'sea horse' (slightly marred painting). From a copy of ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) by al-Qazwīnī (d. 1283/682). Neither the copyist nor illustrator is named, and the copy is undated. The nature of paper, script, ink, and illustrations suggests that it was produced in western India in the 18th century.

Folio 191b from Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing), featuring a yew tree drawn using opaque watercolors and ink in the upper left corner of the text. The thin, light-brown, lightly glossed paper has vertical laid lines. The text is written in a careful medium-small nasta‘liq script, in black ink with headings in red. The text is enclosed in frames formed of one blue and two red thin lines.

MS P 3, fol. 191b

A yew tree. From a copy of ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) by al-Qazwīnī (d. 1283/682). Neither the copyist nor illustrator is named, and the copy is undated. The nature of paper, script, ink, and illustrations suggests that it was produced in western India in the 18th century.

Folio 310a from Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing), featuring two magic squares, the top one a 3x3 square buduh square and the lower one 5x5 in the middle of the text. The thin, light-brown, lightly glossed paper has vertical laid lines. The text is written in a careful medium-small nasta‘liq script, in black ink with headings in red. The text is enclosed in frames formed of one blue and two red thin lines. There is a note in the left margin.

MS P 3, fol. 310a

Two magic squares, the top one a 3x3 square buduh square and the lower one 5x5. From a copy of ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) by al-Qazwīnī (d. 1283/682). Neither the copyist nor illustrator is named, and the copy is undated. The nature of paper, script, ink, and illustrations suggests that it was produced in western India in the 18th century.

Folio 323b from Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing), featuring an animal-headed demon labeled al-ghidar ('the liar, the perfidious'), and a horned harpy drawn using opaque watercolors and ink in the middle of the text. The thin, light-brown, lightly glossed paper has vertical laid lines. The text is written in a careful medium-small nasta‘liq script, in black ink with headings in red. The text is enclosed in frames formed of one blue and two red thin lines.

MS P 3, fol. 323b

An animal-headed demon labeled al-ghidar ('the liar, the perfidious'), and a horned harpy. From a copy of ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) by al-Qazwīnī (d. 1283/682). Neither the copyist nor illustrator is named, and the copy is undated. The nature of paper, script, ink, and illustrations suggests that it was produced in western India in the 18th century.

Folio 324b from Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing), featuring a group of six animal-headed demons or jinns drawn using opaque watercolors and ink in the bottom of the text. The thin, light-brown, lightly glossed paper has vertical laid lines. The text is written in a careful medium-small nasta‘liq script, in black ink with headings in red. The text is enclosed in frames formed of one blue and two red thin lines.

MS P 3, fol. 324b

A group of six animal-headed demons or jinns, from a copy of ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) by al-Qazwīnī (d. 1283/682). Neither the copyist nor illustrator is named, and the copy is undated. The nature of paper, script, ink, and illustrations suggests that it was produced in western India in the 18th century.

Folio 326b from Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing), featuring assorted demons (jinns) and strange creatures, one playing a musical stringed instrument drawn using opaque watercolors and ink at the top of the text. The thin, light-brown, lightly glossed paper has vertical laid lines. The text is written in a careful medium-small nasta‘liq script, in black ink with headings in red. The text is enclosed in frames formed of one blue and two red thin lines.

MS P 3, fol. 326b

Assorted demons (jinns) and strange creatures, one playing a musical stringed instrument. From the chapter on the subjugation of jinn and on the amazing actions of afreet (lesser demons, ‘afarit), in a copy of ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) by al-Qazwīnī (d. 1283/682). Neither the copyist nor illustrator is named, and the copy is undated. The nature of paper, script, ink, and illustrations suggests that it was produced in western India in the 18th century.

Folio 370b from Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing), featuring an ostrich and an orange bird drawn using opaque watercolors and ink in the middle of the text. The thin, light-brown, lightly glossed paper has vertical laid lines. The text is written in a careful medium-small nasta‘liq script, in black ink with headings in red. The text is enclosed in frames formed of one blue and two red thin lines.

MS P 3, fol. 370b

An ostrich and an orange bird. From a copy of ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) by al-Qazwīnī (d. 1283/682). Neither the copyist nor illustrator is named, and the copy is undated. The nature of paper, script, ink, and illustrations suggests that it was produced in western India in the 18th century.

Physical Description

Persian. 414 leaves (fols. 1b-414b). Dimensions 22.2 x 12 ( text area 17 x 8.2) cm; 19 lines per page. The title is given in the text (fol. 3b line 9) in a short form (‘Aja’ib al-makhluqat) in the colophon on (fol. 414b line 5), and by a later hand on fol. 1a. The author's name is given on fol. 2a line 3. The translator is not named.

The copy is undated and unsigned. The appearance of paper, script, ink, and illustrations, suggests a dating of the 18th century and a location in western India.

A complete and illustrated copy, probably copied and illustrated in western India.

The text is written in a careful medium-small nasta‘liq script, in black ink with headings in red. The text is enclosed in frames formed of one blue and two red thin lines. There are catchwords. Fol. 414 is a replacement leaf for the earlier, apparently damaged, final leaf, and is written in a larger script.

More than 190 illustrations, in opaque watercolors and ink, are found throughout the text. Illustrations on fols. 358a, 363a, and 372ab are defaced. There are diagrams in ink (some unfinished) on several folios, and spaces have been left blank for illustrations on several folios.

There are marginalia in several different hands, including some English notes, possibly 19th century, on fols. 11a-12b, 89b, 114a, 131b. The volume was foliated in Arabic numerals on the righthand openings. There is a recent foliation with penciled Western numerals on the lefthand opening.

The thin, light-brown, lightly glossed paper has vertical laid lines but no chain lines. The edges have been trimmed from their original size. The first five leaves have been repaired and reset into new borders, and several other leaves have been repaired. There is some water-staining and foxing, and the paper is slightly worm-eaten. The head, tail, and fore-edge of the manuscript have been marbled.

The volume consists of 414 leaves. Fol. 1a is blank except for the title ‘Aja’ib al-makhluqat in Arabic script and transliterated (Agaib al-Muhlucaat), one owner's note partially cut off, and the impression of an owner's undated large rectangular stamp.

Binding

The volume is bound in a European gray-green leather binding over pasteboard with gold-tooled frames on the covers and an intricate overall gold stamped design on the spine which also has the gold-tooled title: AEJAIB AL MUHLUCAAT. The edges of the binding are also decorated with a gold-tooled design. There are marbled paper pastedowns, hinges, and endpapers.

Provenance

On fol. 1a there is and the impression of an owner's undated large rectangular stamp.

The volume was in the collection of the Army Medical Library in 1946. Further details on provenance are unavailable.

References

Schullian/Sommer, Cat. of incun. & MSS., entry P 3, p. 330.

NLM Microfilm Reel: FILM 48-131 no. 1