“Dazzlement” genre magic manuscript in Persian with 51 paintings including depictions of jinn kings, angels, the spirits of the lunar mansions, angels, and more, Seljuk Anatolia, ca. 1272-1273 AD
This manuscript includes five treatises, written in Persian, dealing with astrology, angelology, talismans, and magic, and emphasize prognostication.
Anonymous and undated copy of Daqā’iq al-Ḥaqā’iq Kitāb-i Mū’nis al-‘Avarif (English: Degrees of Truths) by by al-Nasiri (Nasir al-Din Muhammad b. Ibrahim b. ‘Abd Allah al-Rammal al-Mu’azzim al Sa’ati al-Haykali), which seems to be contemporary with the composition of the works (dedication copy?). Nashi script of Asia Minor, 20 lines per page. Brown ink. No. III appears in a different hand than the rest of the copy. The titles, in Nashi or in Sulus, are in red, green, blue, yellow, brown or white ink (cf. f. 113v, etc.). Some passages were subsequently ironed with 1 black ink. Written area 115 × 200 mm. Ms. 170 × 255 mm. Oriental paper with large lines (we can sometimes distinguish pontuseaux). 146 leaves. In the current state of the ms., The notebooks are ternions of the f. 9 to f. 146. The volume is very damaged by humidity and part of the margins have been cropped; some leaves are mutilated and the whole has been restored.Manuscript comprising, besides numerous drawings and diagrams, which feature talismans and magic squares (f. 2, 5v, 8v, 9v, 12, 12v, 14, 16, etc.) or the signs of the zodiac (f. 47v-8v), locations prepared for paintings that have not been executed (thus f. 1, 4v, 12, 18v, 19v, 20, 21, 22v, 23v, 24, 24v, 25v, 26v, 27v, 28v, 29v, 30v, 31, 32v, 33, 33v, 35, 45 [?], Etc.).
In addition, it has 51 paintings, most of which appear to be contemporary with the copy, but some are retouched (f. 10 or 18, etc; f. 92 have been glued with small golden bands). These paintings (cf. Blochet, 27v, 28v, 29v, 30v, 31, 32v, 33, 33v, 35, 45 [?], Etc.). In addition, he has 51 paintings, most of which appear to be contemporary with the copy, but some are retouched (f. 10 or 18, etc; f. 92 have been glued with small golden bands). These paintings (cf. Blochet, 27v, 28v, 29v, 30v, 31, 32v, 33, 33v, 35, 45 [?], Etc.). In addition, he has 51 paintings, most of which appear to be contemporary with the copy, but some are retouched (f. 10 or 18, etc; f. 92 have been glued with small golden bands). These paintings (cf. Blochet,Library Review, 1898, p. 24-5,Illuminations from oriental manuscripts, p. 70-2 and Pl. XVIII and XIX;Muslim painting, London, 1929, p. 25-6 and Pl. XXXVI) are as follows:
I. – F. 3. – (80 × 115 mm) “two-headed turtle, which is the shape of theǧinn from takvīn (appearance) of the 4th mansion of the moon ”.
II. – F. 8. – (105 × 145 mm) “angel presiding at the 2nd mansion of the moon; it has the appearance of two serpents, one red, the other green, which face each other, and have human arms ”.
III. – F. 8. – (65 × 135 mm) “theǧinn from takvīn of the 2nd mansion of the moon, a crab which holds a crescent moon between its claws and, on each side, holds a frog ”.
IV. – F. 9 (105 × 120 mm). – “the angel with a human head holding a scepter and an inscribed scroll which presides over the passage of the sun from Aquarius to Pisces”.
V. – F. 9v. – (65 × 110 mm) “ǧinn from takvīnof this passage; it has the form of a bird with the body of a lion and the hoofs of a horse, and its tail is a serpent ”.
VI. – F. 10. – (110 × 105 mm) “angel of the 3rd mansion of the moon, which has the appearance of a man holding a receptacle and a fly swatter and is seated on a duck. ”
VII. – F. 10v. – (100 × 125 mm) “ǧinn from takvīn of this 3rd mansion of the moon, a quadrupedal bird with a receptacle in front of it ”.
VIII. – F. 11v. – (115 × 155 mm) “angel of the 4th mansion of the moon, which is shaped like a two-headed dragon with a bird in front of him. ”
IX. – F. 13. – (75 × 115 mm) “the angel of the 8th mansion of the moon, represented by a goat with a bird on the back ”.
X. – F. 13v. – (75 × 95 mm) “ǧinn from takvīnfrom this station; he is a seated figure whose head is formed by five snake heads and who holds a fly swatter in one hand and a fish in the other. ”
XI. – F. 15. – (110 × 115 mm) “the angel who presides over the 10th mansion of the moon; he has a human body surmounted by a head of Sīmurġ, a serpent’s head and a wolf’s head, and four hands, one of which holds a lock of hair, another a knife, another an apple , the last a hook. ”
XII. – F. 15. – (65 × 80 mm) “ǧinn from takvīnfrom this station, a giraffe resting its head on its tail. ”
XIII. – F. 17. – (100 × 110 mm) “ǧinn from takvīn of the 11th mansion of the moon: a woman and her two daughters, all three covered with white veils. ”
XIV. – F. 18. – (140 × 160 mm) “the angel Alātāqāʾīl who presides over the (12th?) mansion of the moon; he is a horseman in arms, with a bow, a sword and a lance, at the end of which is a banner depicting a lion. ”
XV. – F. 45v. – (80 × 110 mm) “ǧinn from takvīn from the 27th mansion of the moon, a two-headed heron ”.
XVI. – F. 46. – (85 × 120 mm) “the angel Qatīnākāʾīl, who presides over the 28th mansion of the moon, in the form of a man holding a container full of water. ”
XVII. – F. 46v. – (95 × 120 mm) “ǧinn from takvīn of this 28th mansion of the moon, which has the shape of an elephant ”.
XVIII. – F. 67. – (130 × 245 mm) “the city built near the mountain of Qāf, with walls and an immense multi-storey minaret” .
XIX. – F. 69. – (150 × 230 mm) “the angel Bī Aḥmar, holding a spear and having at his side theǧāsūs and tarǧumān”.
XX. – F. 72. – (155 × 220 mm) “the angel Danhiš, represented seated on a throne and holding in one hand a spear and in the other a fruit, with at his side theǧāsūs and the tarǧumān”.
XXI. – F. 73v. – (155 × 240 mm) “the angel Miṭaṭārūn, shown standing; he holds in one hand a spear, in the other a magic table. ”
XXII. – F. 78. – (160 × 230 mm) “the angel Maymūn, represented standing; he has two heads and holds a spear in one hand, a book in the other; he has at his side theǧāsūs and the tarǧumān”.
XXIII. – F. 83. – (160 × 210 mm) “the angel Šamhuraš, surrounded by a crown, is mounted on a horse and is about to strike with his sword a dragon whose mouth is open” .
XXIV. – F. 86. – (118 × 118 mm) “represented in a square, the angel Abī l-Ḥanaf, surrounded by a crown, holds in one hand a serpent and in the other a second crown; he is seated on a lion ”.
XXV. – F. 92. – (130 × 230 mm) “the angel Saydūk al-Akbar, seated, a turban on his head, holds a scepter and a letter” .
XXVI. – F. 100v. – (135 × 165 mm) “the wall of Iskandar, represented with three towers, and, on each of them, a horseman with a horn” .
XXVII. – F. 101. – (115 × 235 mm) “Ṣaẖr al-Nār, who has a multitude of faces” [very damaged] .
XXVIII. – F. 103v. – (155 × 210 mm) “Iskandar’s tent, where the latter holds hearing ”.
XXIX. – F. 107. – (135 × 225 mm) “the confines of the earth, with the Ocean, the Source of Life, the city ofǦinn, the cave of Ǧinn, the nest of Sīmurġ, the mountain of Qāf, and, above, the Heaven, to which an open portal allows access ”.
XXX. – F. 108. – (90 × 115 mm) “conjunction of the Moon and Venus, in the form of a seated man, with four hands, one of which holds a Basque drum, the other a flute and the other two playtanbūr”.
XXXI. – F. 108v. – (110 × 130 mm) “conjunction of the Moon and Mercury, in the form of a man wearing a turban, seated. With his four hands, one holds snow, another fire, another aqalam, and the last a book ”.
XXXII. – F. 109. – (110 × 110 mm) “conjunction of the Moon and Saturn, in the form of a brown man with white hair seated on a seat. With his four hands, one holds a crown, another a sword, another the keys, and the last (…?) ”.
XXXIII. – F. 109v. – (110 × 120 mm) “conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter, in the form of a seated man wearing a turban. With her four hands, one holds atasbīḥ, the other an ewer, the other a scepter and the last a volume ”.
XXXIV. – F. 110. – (100 × 125 mm) “conjunction of the Moon and Mars, in the form of a warrior wearing a helmet. With his four hands he holds a club, a sword, a severed head and a lion”.
XXXV. – F. 110v. – (105 × 125 mm) “conjunction of the Moon and the Sun, in the form of a man with the head of the sun and four hands, one holding a knife, another a crown, another a candle, and the last (a scholarship?); he is seated on a lion ”.
XXXVI. – F. 111. – (75 × 110 mm) “theǧinn from takvīnof the passage of the Sun from Leo to Virgo, in the form of a two-headed gazelle, which with two human hands holds a flute and a Basque drum ”.
XXXVII. – F. 111v. – (90 × 115 mm) “the angel Ṭahmāturāʾīl who presides over the passage of the Sun from Virgo to Libra: he has four heads and four arms; with one hand, he holds a balance, with another an ewer, with another a censer and the last (…?) ”.
XXXVIII. – F. 112. – (60 × 115 mm) “theǧinn from takvīnof the passage of the Sun from Virgo to Libra, in the form of a peacock with two heads and two arms; he holds in one hand a ladle filled with fire, in the other a bowl. ”
XXXIX. – F. 113. – (95 × 125 mm) “the angel who presides over the passage of the Sun from Libra to Scorpio; he has three heads and six arms; in one hand he holds a sword, in another a bow, in another an ewer, in another a letter, in another a crown, and the last (…?) ”.
XL . – F. 115. – (130 × 100 mm) “the angel presiding over the passage of the Sun from Scorpio to Sagittarius, represented with a mirror in one hand and a stake in the other” .
XLI. – F. 115v. – (75 × 115 mm) “theǧinn from takvīnof the passage of the Sun from Scorpio to Sagittarius, with a human bust on the body of a quadruped; his tail ends in a dragon’s head on which he unhooks arrows. ”
XLII. – F. 116v. – (115 × 115 mm) “the Angel who presides over the passage of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn; he holds a key in one hand, a sieve in the other. ”
XLIII. – F. 117. – (60 × 110 mm) “the ǧinn of the takvīn of the passage of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn; he has two heads, a human head and a goat’s head, on the body of an animal, and two hands; in one, he has an apple, in the other a baguette. ”
XLIV. – F. 118. – (110 × 110 mm) “the angel Habiyātākāʾīl, who presides over the passage of the Sun from Capricorn to Aquarius. He has six arms and holds a cup, a key, fire, a tuft of grass, and (…?) ”
XLV. – F. 118v.ǧinn from takvīnof the passage of the Sun from Capricorn to Aquarius, represented by a dog on whose back is a monkey ”.
XLVI. – F. 121v. – (100 × 110 mm) “the angel who presides over the passage of the Sun from Taurus to Gemini; he has two heads and holds a crown and an unrolled message. ”
XLVII. – F. 122. – (60 × 100 mm) “the ǧinn of the takvīn of the passage of the Sun from Taurus to Gemini; it has the shape of a two-headed sheep near which is a tree near which four birds are perched. ”
XLVIII. – F. 123. – (125 × 125 mm) “the angel Sanǧtāhalāʾīl, who presides over the passage of the Sun from Gemini to Cancer; he has three heads, and holds a pomegranate and a bowl. ”
XLIX. – F. 123v. – (70 × 105 mm) “theǧinn from takvīnthe passage of the Sun from Gemini to Cancer; it has the body of a fish, a human head, and two arms; with one hand, he holds a crab, with the other a branch. ”
L. – F. 125. – (100 × 125 mm) “the angel who presides over the passage of the Sun from Cancer to Leo, named Taʿāhākāʾīl; he has four arms and holds fire, a spear, a fruit and a book ”.
LI. – F. 126v. – (120 × 125 mm) “the angel who presides over the passage of the Sun from Leo to Virgo; it has two heads and two arms, each of which is divided into two forearms; he is holding aqalam, a spear, a sickle and a bowl ”
.F. 51 is an annotation dated 914H. (/ 1508-9), “244 years” after the copy; in the same hand, it seems, is the Persian couplet copied in f. 45v. A strip of paper with a correction was glued to f. 103. In the margins,passim, include some annotations. From the copyist’s hand, at f. 51, two couplets of Mawlānā (…) al-Dīn. Modern binding with brown sorrow overlap.
Manuscript in Persian
-National Library of France. Manuscripts Department
