Persian Sindbadnama: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 11:55, 3 March 2026

The Persian Sindbadnama traditions are all thought to derive from a Middle Persian (Pahlavi) original. Older scholarship presumed an Indian source for this, but no Sanskrit texts have been found as evidence of this (Krönung (2016).

The Pahlavi text was adapted into early New Persian several times, by such luminaries as Rudaki (Dabir Siyaqi 1955) and Daqayeqi (Zakeri 2023).

However, only the version originally translated by Fanaruzi (c. 9th century CE/3rd century AH) and ornamented by Zahiri al-Samarqandi in c. 1160 CE/555 AH survives from this period of early New Persian transmission.

However, it was inserted, in abridged form, into other popular fable collections, such as Nakhshabi’s Tutinama and Daqayeqi's Bakhtiarnama. These abridgements tend to conform far more to the Makr al Nisa/wiles of women genre in which the 9th century Arab historian al Yaqubi places the Sindbad tradition than does Zahiri's version, potentially suggesting a closer link to the original Middle Persian tradition. Later, in 1374, the Shirazi belletrist and courtier Azod Yazdi versified Zahiri's version for the govenor of Shiraz, Tamerlane's son Shah Rukh. Of these different surviving versions, Zahiri's version seems to have been by far the most popular and sought after, particularly in the Ottoman Empire.

Tradition & Lineage

Branch of the tradition

Book of Sindbad

Adapted into (version)

Nakhshabi Tutinama, Zahiri al Samarqandi, Sindbadnama, Azod Yazdi versification, Bakhtiarnama abridgement

Recorded Secondary Versions

Persian Sindbadnama

Connected Manuscripts

	Has Language	Has Location	Has Date Range Of Production
Amasya Bayezid İl Halk Kütüphanesi, MS 750.	Persian	Amasya Bayezid İl Halk Kütüphanesi	1601 - 1800
Istanbul Süleymaniye Kütüphanesi Süleymaniye 861		Istanbul, Süleymaniye Kütüphanesi	1383 - 1384
London British Library IO Islamic 3214	Persian	London, British Library	1575 - 1585
London British Library Or. 225	Persian	London, British Library	1622
Royal Asiatic Society (MS P.337)	Persian	Library of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland	1785
Süleymaniye Kütüphanesi, AE Farsça 1062	Persian	Süleymaniye Kütüphanesi, Istanbul	1675 - 1676
Teheran Daneshgah 132-d	Persian	Teheran, Daneshgah	1622 - 1623
Teheran Daneshgah 272-f	Persian	Teheran, Daneshgah	1217 - 1218
Teheran Daneshgah 46-ayn	Persian	Teheran, Daneshgah	1383 - 1384
Topkapı Sarayı, Istanbul (Ahmet III 2990)	Persian	Istanbul, Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi Kütüphanesi	1208 - 1209
Topkapı Sarayı, Istanbul (Fātiḥ 3682)	Persian	Istanbul, Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi Kütüphanesi	1483 - 1488

Language & Composition

Language of version

Persian

Regional or specific language of version

Dari (Insha)

Date of Composition

Modern Scholarship & Editions

Modern research literature

Perry (1960), Zakeri (2023), Dabir Siyaqi (1955), (see specific versions for more)

Notes & Commentary

Note

Roughly 50% of the early manuscripts are to be found in Iranian libraries, who did not reply before the completion of this database. Below is a list of manuscripts in Iranian libraries whose existence can be confirmed:

Tehran, Danishgah 964/1556-57

Teheran, Danishgah 272

Teheran, Danishgah 46 ع

Teheran, Dehkhoda 268

Teheran, Adabiyyat 132-d

Qom, Gulpaygani 36/199–8199

Mashhad, Āstān-i Quds-i Raḍavī MS 9415

Pattern of Embedded Stories in This Version

Has Short Title	Has Sequence Number	Has Narrator
Vulpes et simia – The Fox and the Ape	1	Sindbad
Camelus – The Wise Camel	2	Sindbad
Elephantus	3	Sindbad
Rex simiarum – The Monkey King	4	First Master
Avis – The Bird	5	First Master
Gladius – The Drawn Sword	6	First Master
Lavator	7	Empress
Turtures	8	Second Master
Zuchara	9	Second Master
Striga – The Prince and the Ogress	10	Empress
Canis – The Faithful Dog	11	Third Master
Canicula 3	12	Third Master
Aper – The Boar and the Fruit	13	Empress
Balneator	14	Fourth Master
Canicula – The Weeping Dog	15	Fourth Master
Mel	16	Empress
Panes	17	Fifth Master
Annuli – The Anklet, or, The Woman who Outwitted her Father-in-Law	18	Fifth Master
Simia	19	Empress
Nomina	20	Sixth Master
Pallium	21	Sixth Master

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Version
-|Has Description=The Persian Sindbadnama traditions are all thought to derive from a Middle Persian (Pahlavi) original, potentially adapted from Indian material by Borzuya, translator of the Panchatantra (Perry 1960). This Pahlavi text was adapted into early New Persian several times, by such luminaries as Rudaki (Dabir Siyaqi 1955) and Daqayeqi (Zakeri 2023). However, only the version originally translated by Fanaruzi (c. 9th century CE/3rd century AH) and ornamented by Zahiri al-Samarqandi in c. 1160 CE/555 AH survives from this period of early New Persian transmission. However, it was inserted, in abridged form, into other popular fable collections, such as Nakhshabi’s Tutinama and Daqayeqi's Bakhtiarnama. These abridgements tend to conform far more to the Makr al Nisa/wiles of women genre in which the 9th century Arab historian al Yaqubi places the Sindbad tradition than does Zahiri's version, potentially suggesting a closer link to the original Middle Persian tradition. Later, in 1374, the Shirazi belletrist and courtier Azod Yazdi versified Zahiri's version for the govenor of Shiraz, Tamerlane's son Shah Rukh. Of these different surviving versions, Zahiri's version seems to have been by far the most popular and sought after, particularly in the Ottoman Empire.
+|Has Description=The Persian ''Sindbadnama'' traditions are all thought to derive from a Middle Persian (Pahlavi) original. Older scholarship presumed an Indian source for this, but no Sanskrit texts have been found as evidence of this ([[Krönung (2016)]].
+The Pahlavi text was adapted into early New Persian several times, by such luminaries as Rudaki (Dabir Siyaqi 1955) and Daqayeqi (Zakeri 2023).
+However, only the version originally translated by Fanaruzi (c. 9th century CE/3rd century AH) and ornamented by Zahiri al-Samarqandi in c. 1160 CE/555 AH survives from this period of early New Persian transmission.
+However, it was inserted, in abridged form, into other popular fable collections, such as Nakhshabi’s Tutinama and Daqayeqi's Bakhtiarnama. These abridgements tend to conform far more to the Makr al Nisa/wiles of women genre in which the 9th century Arab historian al Yaqubi places the Sindbad tradition than does Zahiri's version, potentially suggesting a closer link to the original Middle Persian tradition. Later, in 1374, the Shirazi belletrist and courtier Azod Yazdi versified Zahiri's version for the govenor of Shiraz, Tamerlane's son Shah Rukh. Of these different surviving versions, Zahiri's version seems to have been by far the most popular and sought after, particularly in the Ottoman Empire.
 |Has Display Title=Persian Sindbadnama
 |Has Branch Of Tradition=Book of Sindbad
@@ Line 6: / Line 12: @@
 |Has Language Of Version=Persian
 |Has Regional Language=Dari (Insha)
+|Is Date Uncertain=No
 |Has Modern Research Literature=Perry (1960); Zakeri (2023); Dabir Siyaqi (1955); (see specific versions for more)
 |Has Note=Roughly 50% of the early manuscripts are to be found in Iranian libraries, who did not reply before the completion of this database. Below is a list of manuscripts in Iranian libraries whose existence can be confirmed: