“The History of Bukhara”
Abu Bakr Muhammad Narshahi. Translator: Muhammad ibn Zafar. Translated into Persian. Nastaliq script. Oriental paper. 24.5 × 15 cm. Manuscript of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, inv. No. 2110
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Description
This manuscript represents a copy of The History of Bukhara, a major historical work written by the tenth-century scholar Abu Bakr Muhammad Narshakhi, one of the earliest historians of Mawarannahr.
The original text was written in Arabic in 943, but it has not survived. Its contents are known today through later Persian translations, one of which is represented by this manuscript.
The work is particularly valuable as one of the earliest historical accounts of Bukhara. It describes the city’s development, its rulers, religious life, and the gradual spread of Islam in the region.
The detailed descriptions of urban spaces, including markets, mosques, and centers of learning, make this text an important source not only for historians but also for archaeologists.
This manuscript reflects the rich historiographical tradition of Central Asia and highlights the importance of Bukhara as a major intellectual and cultural center of the Islamic world.