The text and context of the illustrated Shahnama manuscript Or. 494 in the Leiden University Library.

The Shahnama or Book of Kings is one of the most famous works in Persian literature. This extensive epic poem in verses was written over a thousand years ago but remains very much alive in the Persian-speaking world to this day, particularly in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. Leiden University Libraries holds a remarkable copy of this work, an illustrated manuscript from the fifteenth century produced in the Iranian city of Shiraz. Through this unique manuscript, we are introduced to the rich and fascinating world of the Shahnama and delve into the role of poetry and material culture in the political history of the Middle East.

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• middle eastern library