Examining the Timurid Manuscripts in the Treasury of Uzbekistan’s

Institute of Oriental Studies

Bekhzod B. Khadjimetov

and Abdumajid A. Madraimov

National Institute of Art and Design, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Keywords: Manuscript Book, Sharofiddin Ali Yazdi, Zafarnama, Alisher Navoi, Devon, Paper, Paper, Khirot, Samarkand

Paper, Miniature, Calligraphy, Paint, Gold Paint, Ribbed, Macro Photography.

Abstract: In this article, a physical and macroscopic analysis of the Timurid manuscript, created in Herat in the second

half of the 15th century and the 16th century, kept in the treasury of the Institute of Oriental Studies named

after Abu Rayhan Beruni of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, is carried out. Papers of

the studied manuscripts were described by visual inspection, thickness and thickness, degree of wear and

quality. Manuscript sheets OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA.MODEL NO. He took a macro picture using a

special TG-4 camera and analyzed it based on this. As a result of the analysis, the thickness of the paint

applied to the surface of the sheets, the gold paint and the color coatings were also studied. Calligraphic

inscriptions, pages with miniature pictures were studied separately. Samples of photographs were taken from

the beginning, middle, end, and rest pages of each manuscript and compared. It was found that the quality of

the paper used for the study of the manuscripts' calligraphic notes and miniatures was different from each

other. A brief description of the results of the study of the pages of the researched manuscripts is given and

the conclusions are stated.

1 INTRODUCTION

The official recognition of Mumtaz Sharq miniature

art by UNESCO has strengthened the study and

promotion of authentic illustrated manuscripts and

miniatures, which are their decorations. Today,

special attention is being paid to issues such as

studying and restoring the history of hand-made

paper-making traditions that have existed since

ancient times in the territory of Uzbekistan. Examples

of this are the “Heritage” in the village of Konigil in

Samarkand, the “Usto Davron miniature school” in

Bukhara, the professors-teachers of the department of

“Miniature and calligraphy” of the Kamoliddin

Behzod National Art Institute, and it should be

recognized that this is one of the great achievements

in this field. The organization of this scientific

conference dedicated to Samarkand paper is one of

the important works in this direction. On the world

stage, foreign scientists and artists are conducting.

Some researches for the purpose of studying the

original composition of Samarkand paper, restoring

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damaged pages of prestigious manuscripts, painting

and painting miniatures. Even now, in order to

develop educational, scientific and innovative

cooperation between Uzbekistan and Japan, “The

research for the culture of contemporary hand-made

paper and artistic expression” (Research on the

cultural and artistic significance of modern hand-

made paper) (Japan, South Korea, China,

Uzbekistan)) is conducting research on paper within

the scientific and practical project.

A.Yu.Kaziev, A.A.Semyonov, I.Odilov, Zotov,

N.Habibullaev and other scientists began to study

historical sources and practical processes related to

the history of Eastern manuscript papers, their origin

and preparation. Until now, the composition of

papers, the method of preparation and drying, and

their qualities have not been thoroughly studied. The

important practical aspect of this research is that the

authors put forward new views, assumptions and

ideas on the basis of manuscripts of various origins

and places of creation, their paintings, papers, artistic

Khadjimetov, B. and Madraimov, A.

Examining the Timurid Manuscripts in the Treasury of Uzbekistan’s Institute of Oriental Studies.

DOI: 10.5220/0012667500003882

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies (PAMIR-2 2023), pages 70-73

ISBN: 978-989-758-723-8

features of their paintings, the colors of the paints

used.

2 MATERIALS AND METHODS

This article examines the manuscripts of the Timurid

period in three ways: 1. Seeing them (visually). 2.

Physical state - holding a page by hand, looking at it

with a light beam and using a magnifying glass. 3.

Macro photography using a special photo camera

(OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA.MODEL NO.

TG-4 photo camera).

The whole world recognized the peak of art and

culture during the Timurid period in Central Asia.

Contemporaries also noted that during the period of

Timur and Timurids, magnificent constructions and

various types of art flourished in Central Asia, and

this situation was manifested in a new way. Historian

Ibn Arabshakh notes that the structures built by the

Timurids in Samarkand were “built in a new style.”

The development of the art of literacy in Central

Asia is connected with the development of science,

culture and enlightenment, especially poetry. Papers

popular at the end of the 15th century and the

beginning of the 16th century were called “Hitoyi”,

“Samarkandi”, “Bukhari”, “Baghdadi”, “Isfakhani”,

“Kashmiri” and others. In the Middle Ages, many

articles were written about the world-famous

“Samarkand” paper, and it was studied to some extent

by scientists.

Calligraphy and miniature painting, closely

related to the art of reading in the Middle Ages,

flourished especially in the XV-XVII centuries.

Along with calligraphy and painting, miniatures were

considered one of the main decorations in the

decoration of manuscripts, pages and covers.

These rare manuscripts were prepared for use in

the personal libraries of the rulers of their time. When

turning the pages of the books, one can see the quality

of the paper the book is made of, the decoration of the

covers and covers, the miniatures depicted in it, and

the skillfully written letters of the calligraphers.

It can be seen that the issues related to the

preparation of books and their decoration required

hard work and a lot of money. Spiritual and artistic

sultans, ministers and governors of their time engaged

in this work and sponsored their training. Miniature

painting, which is an integral part of kitobot art,

which deserves to be recognized as court art, is

widespread in the countries of the East.

Kitobot art flourished at the end of the 15th

century in the city of Herat, the capital of the

Timurids, and was performed at a high level by the

skilled masters of the palace library. According to

many historical sources, manuscript books were the

result of collective work and cooperation of palace

workshop employees. Several specialists participated

in the creation of a manuscript book: a paper cutter, a

calligrapher, a muzaxkhib (a gold giver), a lavvoh (a

designer of titles and tables), an artist, a painter, and

a sahaf (cover maker).

Based on the above information, the manuscript

fund of the Institute of Oriental Studies named after

Abu Rayhan Beruni of the Academy of Sciences of

Uzbekistan.

Figure 1. The cover pages of the restored manuscript clearly

indicate the details of the art for of the by-gone era.

“Zafarnoma” by Sharafuddin Ali Yazdi (item

number #3440), Alisher Navoi. Navodi run-nihoya

(item number No. 1995, No. 11 675.), Husain Vaiz

Kashifi. Morality is Muhsini. (item number 2116),

Abdurahman Jami. “Kulliyat” (item number 1331),

Alisher Navoi. “Devon” (item numbers #3984;

#2197; #790; #7463; #7701; #3479)

Sharofiddin Ali Yazdi, Zafarnama. (item number

#3440). First of all, we should mention that the size

of these manuscripts is very large. There are

ornaments and pictures. They consist of titles and

patterns made in the tradition of the Hirot school,

which are very beautiful. There is a miniature

painting in the form of a large two-page architectural

drawing and a printed graphic composition of a battle

scene. An equestrian figure was completed to the far

right of his miniature but was later erased. A human

portrait, some parts of a horse have been preserved.

The manuscript was created at the end of the 15th

century, in the city of Khirot. The quality of the paper

is thick, good, and full, the quality of the repair papers

is a little low. Calligrapher Sultan Ali Mashhady. The

cover is made of cast cardboard.

Examining the Timurid Manuscripts in the Treasury of Uzbekistan’s Institute of Oriental Studies

Figure 2. Materials used to build the book.

Alisher Navoi. Navodi run-nihoya, (item number

№ 1995). Size: 24.8x16cm, No. of sheets: 210,

Decorated with pearls and 6 miniatures, finished with

an embroidered finish. The base of the paper is

ribbed, mottled, smooth. It was created at the end of

the 15th century in the city of Khirot. Calligrapher

Sultan Ali Mashhady. The cover is later made of

leather, brown in color. The ornamentation of the

manuscript is similar to the manuscripts decorated in

Khiroth. The Prince's turban in miniatures is typical

of the Khirot school of miniatures. In terms of

subtlety, the use of purple, especially the painting of

the Me'raj landscape, is typical of Behzod era

miniatures. miniatures are delicate. In the miniatures

on pages 97, 114 of the manuscript, we can also see

the use of the same purple color in the central part or

in the clothes of the main characters.

Alisher Navoi. Navodi run-nihoya, (item number

№ 11675)., Size 16.7x23.1 cm, number of sheets 149.

Ornate title pattern present, but slightly worn. The

base of the paper is ribbed, thick, smooth and smooth.

According to the style of the place of creation, the city

of Khirot belongs to the end of the 15th century.

Abdul Jalil is the secretary. One line of writing is 1

cm in size, and the writing area is 3 mm. The cover is

made of die-cast cardboard, with an orange pattern,

tulip patterned flowers. The surface is lacquered for

protection. Malik Muhammed Isa’s name is written

as well.

Figure 3. Nashli Art form and detailing of the print.

Alisher Navoi. “Devon”. (item number No. 2197).

Size: 14.5x24cm, number of sheets is 70. Decorations

are available in the form of titles, inscriptions, plaque

patterns. The paper is of medium thickness, smooth,

soft, flowing color. The place of its creation is Khirot,

and it corresponds to the end of the 15th century. The

calligraphy is similar to Abdul Jalil’s scribe letter.

The cover is made of die-cast cardboard, with an

orange pattern, tulip patterned flowers. Alisher

Navoi. Devon (item no. 790). The size is 22.3x34 cm.

The paper is thick, mixed seven colors, well

burnished. The place of creation is the city of Khirot,

and it is written in 898 AH. Calligrapher Sultan Ali

Mashhady. The cover is made of die-cast cardboard,

decorated with orange motifs, tulip motifs and

embossed flowers, and the surface is lacquered. The

patterned paper is thick and looks like two layers. The

text is treated separately from the written pages. 13.7x

23cm text, a different paper was used for the

surrounding patterned decorations.

A group of manuscripts from the Timurid era kept

in the treasury of the Institute of Oriental Studies

named after Abu Rayhan Beruni of the Academy of

Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan was studied

by visual inspection, physical feeling, and

photographing with a macro camera. The results of

this research are still inconclusive and require further

physical and chemical studies of these rare artifacts.

A separate study of the interior decorations and

pictures of the manuscripts is also required. Because

until today, the papers of the manuscripts have been

generally described as thin, mushy, thick, worn, or

poorly worn. This preliminary research shows that the

manuscripts prepared for the court during their time

used different types of paper for calligraphy, for

borders and for miniature paintings.

The largest size and high quality paper is

“Zafarnoma” by Sharafuddin Ali Yazdi, the second

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large size and high quality paper is “Akhloqi

Muhsini” by Husayn Vaiz Koshifi and “Kulliyot” by

Abdurrahman Jami, each of them is a separate study

in terms of paper quality, writing, and pattern. can be

a topic. We can call them masterpieces of book art of

the Timurid period. The medium-sized illustrated

manuscript “Kalila and Dimna”, the manuscripts and

miniatures of “Navodir un-nihoya” finished by Sultan

Ali Mashhadi were royal works of that time. In

general, the series of manuscripts whose paper we

have studied is distinguished by the fact that high-

quality paper was created even in the Timurid era,

decorated with very elegant and colorful patterns,

especially the works of Abdurahman Jami “Kulliyoti”

manuscript, it is distinguished by the quality of the

paper and the variety of patterns. We would

recommend printing a facsimile copy of it. One

sensitive issue is that although there are wonderful

manuscripts created during the Timurid period and

their exquisite paintings, what if the Nadir ul-asri

master of this period, Kamoliddin Behzod, has

nothing to do with them? This is a fascinating topic

that deserves further study. In particular, the

participation of master Kamoliddin Behzod and his

students in the twenty-three paintings in the “Akhloqi

Mukhsini” manuscript is indisputable. This is

evidenced by the colors, fine lines, and image system

used in the exquisite paintings created at that time.

3 CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, it can be said that the historical and

scientific study of the Timurid era manuscripts kept

in the treasury of the Institute of Oriental Studies

named after Abu Rayhan Beruni of the Academy of

Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan has begun,

but it was found that the painting and miniature works

that decorate them have not been sufficiently studied

from a practical and artistic point of view. They are

only given a general description. Continuing the

research in this direction, in the end of the 15th

century in the court of Sultan Husain, the famous

calligraphers and skilled miniature painters such as

Kamoliddin Behzod made a more in-depth study of

the decorative manuscripts, describing them from the

artistic side, studying the technique of creating the

paper, the paper and paint that can be used for such

delicate works. and brushes are required to be

restored. We would recommend that researchers

conducting scientific research take one of these rare

manuscripts and analyze them, and if necessary,

create copies of the same size and quality rather than

general topics..

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Examining the Timurid Manuscripts in the Treasury of Uzbekistan’s Institute of Oriental Studies