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Iskandar visits the Ka‘ba in Mecca, from the Book of Kings (Shahnama) by Firdausi

Title	Iskandar visits the Ka‘ba in Mecca, from the Book of Kings (Shahnama) by Firdausi
Author	Shiraz
Publication Date:	1480 (885H)
Type	Document
Language	Persian
Digital	Yes
Manuscript	Yes
Physical Dimensions	348 mm x 234 mm (height x width)
Library:	Chester Beatty
Record ID	Per 157.370
Library Location	Persian collection
Date	1480 (885H)
Notes	Iskandar visits the Ka‘ba in Mecca, from the Book of Kings (Shahnama) by Firdausi. Firdausi's epic Book of Kings was composed c. 1010, and tells in Persian verse the mythical histories of fifty kings and queens from ancient pre-Islamic Iran. The stories blend historical figures and events with dramatic legend, featuring superhuman heroes, supernatural monsters and kings of variable quality. Depicted here is an episode from the reign of Iskandar, or Alexander the Great. Firdausi describes how Iskandar conquers Iran and India, and then pauses to make a pilgrimage to the Ka`ba shrine in Mecca, before proceeding to Egypt. In Mecca he meets the descendants of the prophet Ibhraim (Abraham). Detached folio, ink, colours and gold on paper, Persian poetry in nasta`liq script, caption in gold ("Iskandar goes to the Ka`ba") and painting (on recto), text copied by Muhammad Baqqal, dated 23 Jumada I 885H, Shiraz, Iran, 31 July 1480.
Materyal	Paper (material), Pigment (material), Ink (material), Gold
Nesne Adı	Folio / Bi-Folio (Codex)

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Iskandar visits the Ka‘ba in Mecca, from the Book of Kings (Shahnama) by Firdausi

Author Shiraz

Publication Date 1480 (885H)

Type Document

Language Persian

Digital Yes

Manuscript Yes

Physical Dimensions 348 mm x 234 mm (height x width)

Library Chester Beatty

Record ID Per 157.370

Library Location Persian collection

Date 1480 (885H)

Notes Iskandar visits the Ka‘ba in Mecca, from the Book of Kings (Shahnama) by Firdausi. Firdausi's epic Book of Kings was composed c. 1010, and tells in Persian verse the mythical histories of fifty kings and queens from ancient pre-Islamic Iran. The stories blend historical figures and events with dramatic legend, featuring superhuman heroes, supernatural monsters and kings of variable quality. Depicted here is an episode from the reign of Iskandar, or Alexander the Great. Firdausi describes how Iskandar conquers Iran and India, and then pauses to make a pilgrimage to the Ka`ba shrine in Mecca, before proceeding to Egypt. In Mecca he meets the descendants of the prophet Ibhraim (Abraham). Detached folio, ink, colours and gold on paper, Persian poetry in nasta`liq script, caption in gold ("Iskandar goes to the Ka`ba") and painting (on recto), text copied by Muhammad Baqqal, dated 23 Jumada I 885H, Shiraz, Iran, 31 July 1480.

Materyal Paper (material), Pigment (material), Ink (material), Gold

Nesne Adı Folio / Bi-Folio (Codex)