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Book/Printed Material A Book on Medicinal Seeds.

About this Item

Title

  • A Book on Medicinal Seeds.

Summary

  • The eight-page manuscript presented here preserves two works: a short treatise on medicinal seeds and a fragment from a "chapter on the subject of chess." The medical treatise contains 40 entries on various types of seeds, including seeds from fruits, vegetables, and grains. It begins with an entry on citron and ends with an incomplete entry on the Baraka (Nigella Sativa or Black Seed). Some of the seeds-such as those of watermelon, pumpkin, pomegranate, and cotton-are well known in the New World. Others, such as the alkekengi (Physalis alkekengi, or Chinese Lantern), a type of cherry native to Central and South Asia, are generally less common. Each entry gives the seed name, written in red, green, or blue, and a brief description about that seed and its medicinal uses. Later entries are followed by a sanʻatuhu (how it is made) prescription specifying the proportions to be used and, sometimes, the best variety of the seed in question. The text is written in an un-voweled black naskh script and is dated on or around December 10, 1513. The author and provenance are unknown. The text of the treatise is preceded by a two-page fragment from what appears to be a treatise on chess. The short chapter displays a rubricated numerology grid showing "the winner" and "the loser" in each grid cell. Accompanying the grid are an explanatory text and an incomplete poem on how to play chess by the notable 11th-century poet Ibn al-Habbariyah (died circa 1115), who was also known for his lewd satire. The two pieces appear to have been parts of separate works.

Names

  • Ibn al-Habbārīyah, Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad, 1023 or 1024-1115 or 1116 Contributor.

Created / Published

  • [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 1513-12-10.

Headings

  • -  1513-12-10
  • -  Arabic manuscripts
  • -  Arabic poetry
  • -  Board games
  • -  Botany
  • -  Chess
  • -  Naskh script
  • -  Seeds

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: 4 folios ; 20.4 x 14.3 centimeters sheets on 20.5 x 14.4 centimeters.
  • -  Original resource at: Wellcome Library.
  • -  Content in Arabic.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021667404

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse. Researchers are encouraged to review the source information attached to each item. For information on contacting WDL partner organizations, see this archived list of partners

The Library asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here.

Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

For additional information and contact information for many of the partner organizations, see this archived capture of the World Digital Library site from 2021.

For guidance about compiling full citations consult Citing Primary Sources.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Ibn Al-Habbārīyah, Muḥammad Ibn Muḥammad, 1023 Or Or 1116 Contributor. A Book on Medicinal Seeds. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, -12-10, 1513] Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667404/.

APA citation style:

Ibn Al-Habbārīyah, M. I. M. (1513) A Book on Medicinal Seeds. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, -12-10] [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667404/.

MLA citation style:

Ibn Al-Habbārīyah, Muḥammad Ibn Muḥammad, 1023 Or Or 1116 Contributor. A Book on Medicinal Seeds. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, -12-10, 1513] Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021667404/>.