Persian Sindbadnama

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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). Scholars assume that there were several adaptations into early New Persian, by Rudaki (Dabir Siyaqi 1955) and Daqayeqi (Zakeri 2023). The only version that has survived is by Zahiri al-Samarqandi in c. 1160 CE/555 AH.

The Sindbadnama was later inserted, in abridged form, into Nakhshabi’s Tutinama. 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

Recorded Secondary Versions

• Persian Sindbadnama
  • Azod Yazdi versification
  • Nakhshabi Tutinama
  • Zahiri al Samarqandi, 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

500 - 950

Source for date of composition

Krönung (2016)

Modern Scholarship & Editions

Modern research literature

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

Notes & Commentary

Note

Note: story order (below) is based on the Zahiri al-Samarqandi narrative.

Pattern of Embedded Stories in This Version

Has Short Title	Has Sequence Number	Has Narrator	Has Name Variation
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

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