This volume contains the Kitab-i secere, a treatise on geomancy, as well as a commentary on it. According to the preface, the book Şecere was originally composed in Greek; it was rendered into Arabic by Imām Mā Shā' Allāh Miṣrī, then subsequently from Arabic into Persian and thence into Ottoman Turkish. Since many errors and distortions had been introduced into the text and commentaries, one Mevlana Ahmet-i Antali was called upon to restore the text and provide a sound commentary. The resulting work was translated into Turki (in this case, apparently meaning Crimean Tatar) by Baba Hasan İbn-i Mehmet-i Şirvani on the order of Meñli Geray I, Han of the Crimea. There are geomantic figures and tables throughout. The end of the text is followed by geomantic diagrams (ff 144r-147r), and a prescription for curing aching eyes (ff 147v-148r) and melancholia. This manuscript was likely copied in the late 18th or early 19th century CE.
Semere, şerh-i Kitab-i şecere - ثمره شرح كتاب شجره
This material is held atBritish Library Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections
- Reference
- GB 59 Or 13909
- Dates of Creation
- Late 18th century-Early 19th century
- Language of Material
- Turkish
- Physical Description
- 1 text 148 ff Material : Paper. Foliation : European, 148 ff. Dimensions : 208 mm x 154 mm. Ruling : Text block measures 170 mm x 90 mm; 21 lines with catchwords, some of which are cut off at the lower edge. Script : Nesih. Binding : Rebound.
Scope and Content
Access Information
Not Public Record(s)
Unrestricted
Acquisition Information
Purchased by the British Library on auction at Sotheby's and Co. on 9 July 1979.