“Shahnameh”

Before us is a manuscript of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, copied in 1556 in Central Asia by the calligrapher Hamdami and illustrated with miniatures by Muhammad Murad Samarkandi. It is not only a literary monument, but also evidence of the book culture of Mawarannahr after the Timurid period. The poem tells of ancient kings, heroes, just rule, and the responsibility of power before the people. The Persian text, written in nastaliq, is arranged in traditional columns; red rubrics, colored frames, and gilded headings helped the reader navigate the vast epic narrative. The binding, marked by traces of use, reminds us that the book was preserved for centuries as an object of reading, memory, and prestige. In the miniature, the ancient story takes on the appearance of the sixteenth century: the heroes are dressed like the artist’s contemporaries, while scenes of power, judgment, and counsel recall the political language of Samarkand and Bukhara. For the Babur sector, this manuscript is important as a cultural bridge: such books connected Central Asia, Iran, and India, shaping the shared environment of the Baburids. Here, the Second Renaissance of Islamic civilization appears in the preservation of classical heritage and in the development of calligraphy, miniature painting, and learned reading.