Record Number: 33981
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
A delightful Persian in Basra, Mirza Muhammed, keeps — entirely for his own pleasure — a priceless collection of Persian and Arabian MSS. I can't tell you what a lovely morning I spent there. An MS. belonging to Saladin, with his name in it, an MS. of the 8th century A.D., and one stamped by the 4th Sultan of the family of Tamerlane — and such lovely illuminated pages in the later ones — treasures beyond price.
Century:1900-1945
Date:Between 31 Mar 1937 and 9 Apr 1937
Country:Iraq
Timemorning
Place:city: Basra
specific address: home of Mirza Muhammad
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:Adult (18-100+)
Gender:Female
Date of Birth:31 Jan 1893
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:Explorer and travel writer
Religion:Christian
Country of Origin:England
Country of Experience:Iraq
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
n/a
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:[unidentified manuscript belonging to Saladin]
Genre:Unknown
Form of Text:Manuscript: Codex
Publication Detailsunknown, but owned by Saladin, so earlier than 1193 AD
Provenanceread in situ
Private collection of Mirza Muhammed
Source Information:
Record ID:33981
Source:Freya Stark
Editor:n/a
Title:The Coast of Incense: Autobiography 1933-1939
Place of Publication:London
Date of Publication:1953
Vol:n/a
Page:143
Additional Comments:
n/a
Citation:
Freya Stark, The Coast of Incense: Autobiography 1933-1939, (London, 1953), p. 143, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=33981, accessed: 17 August 2024
Additional Comments:
Dame Freya Madeline Stark (31 January 1893-9 May 1993) was a British explorer and travel writer. It is unclear whether Stark's reading of the manuscript owned by Saladin is in Arabic or Persian, though it is more likely to be in Arabic (Saladin's mother tongue).