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The Yemeni Manuscript Tradition in Context: Materials, Texts and Decorations in Rasulid Times
Abstract
The goal of my contribution is to put in context the Yemeni manuscript production in connection with the Mamluk manuscript production. Syria, Egypt and Yemen in Rasulid times were linked by commercial routes, as the use of the same writing materials prove, in particular the types of paper. Al-Muqaddas? mentions Damascene paper amongst the export revenues (irtifa‘?t) of the Syrian region (iql?m al-Sh?m), and it would have been exported to Yemen as well as Egypt. An anonymous manuscript source seems to confirm this (at least for the 15th century); Yemenite official documents were written on Damascene paper, possibly shipped from Egypt. Moreover these links are attested by contemporary Arabic sources, as in the Rasulid archival text N?r al-ma‘?rif from the reign of al-Malik al-Mu?affar, and they are confirmed by the material evidence. The use of similar decorative patterns for bookbinding is another interesting aspect of a shared manuscript culture; some similarities between Mamluk bookbinding decorations and Yemeni architecture have been already pointed out. Further links can be found: Rasulid sultans of Yemen demanded the work of Mamluk artists for a wide range of objects: inlaid brasses, enameled and gilded glasses as well as illustrated manuscripts. Such is the case for al-B?s?r?’s work al-Kaw?kib al-durriyya f? mad? khayr al-bashriyya, which was illustrated for the sultan al-Ashraf Ism?‘?l (r. 778-802/1376-1400), or which at least ended up in his library, by ‘Abd al-Ra?m?n b. Ibr?h?m al-?mid?, son of the most famous Mamluk miniaturist, Ibr?h?m al-?mid?. From a different perspective, it is of interest to investigate, through manuscripts and texts, the intellectual activity linking Syria, Egypt and Yemen. In Rasulid times the grammatical works by the Egyptian Ibn B?b?š?? (d. 469/1077), for example, enjoyed considerable favor. His Muqaddima [Introduction] is mentioned in the Nuzhat al-?uraf?’ wa tu?fat al-khulaf?’ by al-Malik al-Af?al (d. 778/1377) in the chapter devoted to “the different sciences that kings and governors cannot ignore” (f?m? l? yasa‘u al-muluk wa-l-ru’as?’ ?ahlahu min anw?‘ al-‘ul?m). Is it possible to identify other texts that had similar influence or diffusion between Yemen and Egypt or Siria in Mamluk times?
Discipline
History
Geographic Area
Yemen
Sub Area
Mamluk Studies