Shahnama Manuscript
The record is to be improved in terms of the colour value of the images, which were taken before the manuscript was restored.
Provenance: in the beginning of the 19th century the manuscript was acquired probably straight from the Library of East India House: on f.1r there is an ex libris of the Library, signed by Chas Wilkins, Librarian on 15 August 1806, Academiae Cantabrigiensis.
F.1v contains a characteristic drop-shaped Golkonda seal-mark which appears to be that of Muhammad [Quli] Qutbshah (988-1020 AH) with the date 1012/1603-4 and a later Persian inscription dated 1019/1610-11.
Date: there is no indication when the manuscript was finished. The formal colophon states only: tamam shud kitab-i Shahnama hakim-i Firdausi-yi Tusi alaihi al-rahmat wa ghufran (‘The book of the Shahnama by Hakim Firdausi Tusi, mercy and forgiveness be upon him, has been finished’), which means that no other information regarding the place of completion, the name of the calligrapher himself, etc. is available. E.G. Browne suggested the 16th - early 17th century as a possible date; the attribution supported by Sheila Canby.
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