Ms Or 20 f.16v The widow and son of Siyavush brought by a shepherd to Ka'us, miniature from the 'Jami' al-Tawarikh' of Rashid al-Din, c.1307
Il-Khanid: Tabriz, 1314
Opaque watercolour, ink, gold and silver on paper
Edinburgh University Library, MS. Or. 20, folio 16v
Detail of miniature from the Compendium of Chronicles by Rashid al-Din. Shows the widow and son of Siyavush (Siyavas), the legendary Iranian prince, being brought to the shah Ka'us. Ka'us is shown on a throne in the centre of the miniature surrounded be courtiers, while the son of Siyavush is situated to his right. On his left, a figure leans forward in a gesture of respect.
Arguably the greatest treasure in the library, the Jami' al-Tawarikh, or Compendium of Chronicles, is a world history which encompasses a range of cultures, from China in the East, to Ireland in the West, from the time of Adam. It is written in the Naskh script and contains 70 illustrated folios. Written by the scholar and courtier Rashid al-Din (d.1318), there is some debate as to the exact date of this manuscript, but it was almost certainly completed within the author's lifetime, making it one of the earliest copies in existence. It is one of the three main sources for the life of Genghis Khan and is considered to be one of the most important medieval documents in the world.
Sources: Hukk, M (1925), A descriptive catalogue of the Arabic and Persian manuscripts in Edinburgh University Library, Hertford. Talbot Rice, D. (1976), The Illustrations to the World History of Rashid al-Din, Edinburgh.

Source: Edinburgh University Library