Arabic manuscripts in the Maronite Library of Aleppo (Syria)

Abstract

The Maronite Library of Aleppo houses one of the most important collections of manuscripts in the Syrian Arab Republic. Comprising more than 1600 copies, the collection contains many different works on Bible, theology, philosophy, history, grammar, literature and sciences, and a great variety of other subjects. The contents of the Library have long been known to Western researchers, but were never fully catalogued. This work seeks to remedy that situation, as the last in a series of three inventories. The first volume (2008) presented a detailed record and description of the Syriac manuscripts held in the Library, and the second one (2011) did the same for those in Karshuni. Following the model established by those two previous publications, this book presents the Arabic manuscripts of the collection. The author offers a short, concise description of each copy, including title or titles, names of the author and copyist, place and date of the copy, and any formal features useful in the proper identification of the manuscripts. This edition also includes 50 images, and full indices of titles, personal names and places.