A lectionary, or selection of reading passages from the Peshitta, assigned to days throughout the year, according to the practices of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Folios 1v-2r contain illustrations of the Cross, including several different Greek crosses in rosettes (f. 2r). A table of contents for the work follows on ff. 2v-8r in geometrical patterns of interlacing bands in red, blue, yellow, green and black inks. These are followed by the below series of illustrations:. f. 8v : The Nativity, arrival of the Magi, and Jesus with the Shepherd. f. 9r : The arrival of John the Baptist and Jesus'' baptism. f. 9v : Jesus and the Leper; Jesus and the Centurion; Jesus resurrects a young girl; Jesus heals the paralysed man. f. 10r : Jesus and the son of David; Jesus and Ezra. f. 10v : Jesus with hawkers in the Temple; Jesus washes his Disciples'' feet. f. 11r : The Last Supper. f. 11v : Jesus seized by the Jews; the Crucifixion. f. 12r : The Ascension. f. 12v : Mary Magdalene discovers the empty burial chamber. f. 12*r : Pentecost?. f. 12*v : Death of the Virgin Mary (?) and persecution of Christians (?). f. 13r : God selects his Elect (?). f. 13v : the Transfiguration. Folios 14r-15r contain illustrations of the Star of David and the Cross with various geometrical patterns. The main text begins on f. 15v with the header:. ܦܘܪܫ ܩܪܝܢܐ ܕ ܛܛܪܐ ܐܘܢܓܠܝܘܢ ܩܕܝܫܐ. Sections of the text related to specific days are introduced by small headers in black ink on a background of light green or red, surrounded by a red band. Some pages contain medallions of various geometric patterns in gold, red, yellow, green, blue and black ink indicating Syriac pagination of the text. Some lines end in small flowers of four red petals and a black centre. The main text ends on f. 246v without a contextualized colophon. Folio 247r contains an image of Jesus and six Apostles, each of whom is enclosed inside a small circle. An image of a bejeweled Cross is found on f. 249r, while f. 249v features a geometrical pattern in black ink. Two additional colophons are found at the end of the text. On f. 247v, Deacon Aziz bar Hushab (?) wrote that the work is for the Church of St. Addai (believed to be a disciple of Jesus and venerated by the Syriac Orthodox Church, Assyrian Church of the East and the Chaldean Catholic Church). He goes on to explain that the Lectionary was repaired and bound in the Greek year 1846 (1496 CE). The colophon also mentions the city of Ishtharka, without specifying what occurred there. On f. 249r, Father Athanasius of Hay writes that, in the Greek year 1866 (1555 CE) he concluded a marriage in the city of Ishtharka. For his services, he was awarded a gold coin and 250 pieces of silver.
Púrāš qeryānā d-ṭeṭrā ᵓewangelion qadišā. - ܦܘܪܫ ܩܪܝܢܐ ܕܛܛܪܐ ܐܘܢܓܠܝܘܢ ܩܕܝܫܐ
This material is held atBritish Library Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections
- Reference
- GB 59 Add MS 7169
- Dates of Creation
- 12th century
- Language of Material
- Syriac
- Physical Description
- 1 text 250 ff Materials : Vellum. Dimensions : 470 mm x 390 mm x 135 mm. Foliation : Western, occasional Syriac; 250 ff. Ruling : No text boxes, text divided in two columns of approximately 310 mm x 100 mm containing 24 lines. Script : Estrangelā. Ink : Main text in black ink with catchwords and titles in red; headers, illumination and illustrations in red, green, yellow, blue, brown and black inks. Binding : 19th century Western European leather binding.
Scope and Content
Access Information
Not Public Record(s)
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Bibliography
A description of the work can be found in:. Forshall, Josiah and Friedrich Rosen, Catalogus codicum manuscriptorum orientalium qui in Museo Britannico asservantur (London : Impensis Curatorum Musei Britannici, 1838), pp. 32-37. The manuscript is listed as item XXV according to Forshall and Rosen.