Page from the “Shah-nameh by Firdausi,” a 17th or 18th-century copy of the Iranian history epic. (Photo: Library of Congress)
Persian history is rich and ancient. The first Persian Empire was founded in 550 BC and was known as the Achaemenid Empire. Persian kingdoms rose and fell in the succeeding centuries, but the culture endured and spread. Today, Persian language dialects are still spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. This is reminiscent of the days when Persians dominated art, culture, history, and science across Eurasia. You can explore this Golden Age of Persian writing and art through the Library of Congress’s collection, which boasts over 700 manuscripts.
The collection includes impressive works such as the ancient epic poem Shahnamah and the works of the poet Rumi. One can peruse the 169 manuscripts online alongside some lithographs and imprint titles. According to the Library of Congress, the archive “clearly reflects the diversity and cosmopolitan nature of the collection, since a sizable number of manuscripts and lithographic books originate in India, Central Asia, the Caucasus and regions under Ottoman rule, in addition to the native Persian-speaking lands of Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan.”
Although not digitized, the Library notes that many volumes have bindings that are works of art in and of themselves. Meanwhile, the pages boast everything from battle scenes to ornate calligraphy. Despite the widespread belief that Islamic art does not include figural representation, the collection demonstrates this has not always been universal. Browse the collection to watch the history of a large portion of the world evolve. This wide expanse of experience is evidenced by the appearance of Arabic, Turkish, and Armenian alongside Persian.
Then, if you’re still hungry for online archives, dive into these illustrations from medieval Chaucer or explore these illustrations from Victorian editions of Shakespeare.
Explore the Library of Congress’s magnificent collection of 700+ years of Persian-language illustrated and illuminated manuscripts.
The 16th-century “ʻAjāʼib al-makhlūqāt.” (Photo: Library of Congress, African and Middle East Division, Near East Section Persian Manuscript Collection)
“Shah-nameh by Firdausi,” by Firdawsī, 17th or 18th century copy. (Photo: Library of Congress, African and Middle East Division, Near East Section Persian Manuscript Collection)
A 16th-century Persian manuscript, “Kitāb-i Saḥr-i ḥalāl.” (Photo: Library of Congress, African and Middle East Division, Near East Section Persian Manuscript Collection)
A page from “Yūsuf va Zulaykhā.” (Photo: Library of Congress, African and Middle East Division, Near East Section Persian Manuscript Collection)
From a Persian poetry book. (Photo: Library of Congress, African and Middle East Division, Near East Section Persian Manuscript Collection)
The 18th century “Kitāb-i kullīyāt-i Shaykh Saʻdī ʻalayhi al-raḥmah.” (Photo: Library of Congress, African and Middle East Division, Near East Section Persian Manuscript Collection)
h/t: [Open Culture]
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