Description:

Kitab Al-Jami Li-Mufradati ‘L Adviya Wa’l Agziyya Dated 977AH/ 1569AD Written in Mecca al-Sharif Arabic manuscript on paper,220 leaves, 37 lines of black and red Arabic calligraphy, marginal commentaries, some seals Includes the Arabic, Latin, Berber and Persian names of each drug.

 

 A COMPLETE COPY OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BOTANICAL-PHARMACOLOGICAL BOOK BY IBN AL-BAYTAR, ANDALUSIA, DATED 977AH / 1569AD

 

Title:
Kitab al-Jamiʿ li-Mufradat al-Adwiya wa’l-Aghdhiya (The Compendium on Simple Medicaments and Foods)

 

Description:
This is a complete and exceptionally rare manuscript of one of the most authoritative texts in Islamic pharmacology and botany, composed by the Andalusian physician and botanist Ibn al-Baytar (d. 1248 AD / 646 AH). Written in Mecca al-Sharif and dated 977 AH / 1569 AD, this manuscript exemplifies the enduring influence of classical Andalusian science deep into the Ottoman era.

 

The text spans 220 leaves, densely inscribed in 37 lines per page of fine Arabic script in black and red ink, with marginal glosses and commentary throughout. It includes the Arabic, Latin, Berber, and Persian names of each medicinal plant or compound, reinforcing its utility across linguistic and cultural boundaries. Red ink is used to highlight drug names and subject headings, offering easy navigation through this encyclopedic work.

 

The manuscript bears several seals and marginal notes, indicating scholarly use, preservation, and transmission across generations of physicians and herbalists.

 

Dimensions:
Length: 26 cm
Width: 17.5 cm

 

Comparable Examples:

 

  • A partial 14th-century copy held at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (Arabe 2870), known for its marginalia and scholarly use.

  • A 15th-century annotated copy from the Süleymaniye Library, Istanbul, featured in the 2013 exhibition "Science in Islam," praised for its encyclopedic nature.

  • Sotheby’s, 2016, offered a 16th-century botanical manuscript by Ibn al-Baytar (incomplete, with marginal damage), which sold for £78,000 due to its historical medical value.

Note:
Kitab al-Jamiʿ remains a foundational reference in Islamic medicine, widely studied across the Islamic world for its depth, clarity, and empirical approach to pharmacology. This copy, both complete and dated, stands out for its historical provenance (Mecca), completeness, and richness of multilingual content, making it an exceptional acquisition for institutions or collectors specializing in the history of science, medicine, or Andalusian intellectual heritage
Length x Width: 26cm x 17.5cm

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
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