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History of Medicine

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Decorative calligraphic page header featuring orange Arabic script for Islamic Culture and Medicine

Islamic Culture and the Medical Arts

Visual Catalog of the Illustrations (Part 7/9)

(Supplementary Illustrations, Part 2/4)


The following material did not appear in the printed brochure accompanying the original exhibit, although some of the images may have appeared in the exhibit in the form of originals or reproductions.


Folios 163b and 164a of Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) featuring three trees drawn in opaque watercolors and ink within the text. The thin, fragile, beige paper has indistinct vertical laid lines. The text is written in a rather casual ta‘liq script with a tendancy toward naskh, using black ink with headings in red and red overlinings. The text is written within frames of double red lines, with some rectangular areas framed in single red lines and extending into the margins.

Illustration from the ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) composed in the 13th cent. by Zakariya' ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini. Copy dated 1537-8 (944 H); probably produced in western India.
NLM MS P 1, fol. 163b-164a.


Volume 2 folio 1b of Kitāb al-Burhān fī asrār ‘ilm al-mīzān (Proof Regarding the Secrets of the Science of the Balance) by al-Jaldakī featuring the illuminated opening in gold, black, red, green, and blue ink. The paper is ivory and lightly glossed. The text is written in a large Maghribi script using black ink, with significant words in gold (outlined in black) or in red, green or blue. The text is written within frames of blue, black, and gold fillets. These frames are then set within larger frames formed of two fine black lines with gold between.

From the alchemical treatise, Kitāb al-Burhān fī asrār ‘ilm al-mīzān by `Izz al-Din Aydamir al-Jildaki, d. 1342. Undated copy made in Morocco in the late 19th cent.
NLM MS A 7, part 2, fol. 1b.


Volume 1 folio 170a of Kitāb al-Burhān fī asrār ‘ilm al-mīzān (Proof Regarding the Secrets of the Science of the Balance) by al-Jaldakī featuring the illuminated colophon in gold, black, red, green, and blue ink. The paper is ivory and lightly glossed. The text is written in a large Maghribi script using black ink, with significant words in gold (outlined in black) or in red, green or blue. The text is written within frames of blue, black, and gold fillets. These frames are then set within larger frames formed of two fine black lines with gold between.

From the alchemical treatise, Kitāb al-Burhān fī asrār ‘ilm al-mīzānan by `Izz al-Din Aydamir al-Jildaki, d. 1342. Undated copy made in Morocco in the late 19th cent.
NLM MS A7, part 1, fol. 170a.


Volume 5 folio 1b of Kitāb al-Burhān fī asrār ‘ilm al-mīzān (Proof Regarding the Secrets of the Science of the Balance) by al-Jaldakī featuring the illuminated opening in gold, black, red, green, and blue ink. The paper is ivory and lightly glossed. The text is written in a large Maghribi script using black ink, with significant words in gold (outlined in black) or in red, green or blue. The text is written within frames of blue, black, and gold fillets. These frames are then set within larger frames formed of two fine black lines with gold between.

From the alchemical treatise, Kitāb al-Burhān fī asrār ‘ilm al-mīzānan by `Izz al-Din Aydamir al-Jildaki, d. 1342. Undated copy made in Morocco in the late 19th cent.
NLM MS A 7, part 5, fol. 1b.


Volume 2 folio 201a of Kitāb al-Burhān fī asrār ‘ilm al-mīzān (Proof Regarding the Secrets of the Science of the Balance) by al-Jaldakī featuring the illuminated colophon in gold, black, red, green, and blue ink. The paper is ivory and lightly glossed. The text is written in a large Maghribi script using black ink, with significant words in gold (outlined in black) or in red, green or blue. The text is written within frames of blue, black, and gold fillets. These frames are then set within larger frames formed of two fine black lines with gold between.

From the alchemical treatise, Kitāb al-Burhān fī asrār ‘ilm al-mīzānan by `Izz al-Din Aydamir al-Jildaki, d. 1342. Undated copy made in Morocco in the late 19th cent.
NLM MS A 7, part 2, fol. 201a.


Folio 153b of of Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) featuring two different types of trees drawn in opaque watercolors and ink within the text. The thin, fragile, beige paper has indistinct vertical laid lines. The text is written in a rather casual ta‘liq script with a tendancy toward naskh, using black ink with headings in red and red overlinings. The text is written within frames of double red lines, with some rectangular areas framed in single red lines and extending into the margins.

Illustration from the ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) composed in the 13th cent. by Zakariya' ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini. Copy dated 1537-8 (944 H); probably produced in western India.
NLM MS P 1, fol. 153b


Folio 168b of of Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) featuring two types of palm trees drawn in opaque watercolors and ink within the text. The thin, fragile, beige paper has indistinct vertical laid lines. The text is written in a rather casual ta‘liq script with a tendancy toward naskh, using black ink with headings in red and red overlinings. The text is written within frames of double red lines, with some rectangular areas framed in single red lines and extending into the margins.

Illustration from the ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) composed in the 13th cent. by Zakariya' ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini. Copy dated 1537-8 (944 H); probably produced in western India.
NLM MS P 1, fol. 168b


Folio 263b of of Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) featuring five images drawn in opaque watercolors and ink within the text. The thin, fragile, beige paper has indistinct vertical laid lines. The text is written in a rather casual ta‘liq script with a tendancy toward naskh, using black ink with headings in red and red overlinings. The text is written within frames of double red lines, with some rectangular areas framed in single red lines and extending into the margins.

Illustration from the ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) composed in the 13th cent. by Zakariya' ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini. Copy dated 1537-8 (944 H); probably produced in western India.
NLM MS P 1, fol. 263b


Folio 26b of of Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) featuring three images of horse-like creatures drawn in opaque watercolors and ink within the text. The thin, fragile, beige paper has indistinct vertical laid lines. The text is written in a rather casual ta‘liq script with a tendancy toward naskh, using black ink with headings in red and red overlinings. The text is written within frames of double red lines, with some rectangular areas framed in single red lines and extending into the margins.

Illustration from the ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) composed in the 13th cent. by Zakariya' ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini. Copy dated 1537-8 (944 H); probably produced in western India.
NLM MS P 1, fol. 26b


Folio 30b of of Zakarīyā’ ibn Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī's ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) featuring three constellations: above, the zodiacal constellation of Pisces, in the middle, the southern constellation of Cetus shown here as a harpy wearing a crown, and, below, the constellation of Orion depicted as a man carrying a sword in is left hand and a shepherd's staff in his right drawn in opaque watercolors and ink within the text. The thin, fragile, beige paper has indistinct vertical laid lines. The text is written in a rather casual ta‘liq script with a tendancy toward naskh, using black ink with headings in red and red overlinings. The text is written within frames of double red lines, with some rectangular areas framed in single red lines and extending into the margins.

Illustration from the ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) composed in the 13th cent. by Zakariya' ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini. Copy dated 1537-8 (944 H); probably produced in western India.
NLM MS P 1, fol. 30b


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Last Reviewed: December 15, 2011