Persian Sindbadnama

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.

Identification and general Information
Siglum of the version of the Seven Sages	Persian Sindbadnama
Title
Author

Tradition and Lineage
Branch of the tradition	Book of Sindbad
Adapted from (version)
Adapted into (version)	Nakhshabi Tutinama, Zahiri al Samarqandi, Sindbadnama, Azod Yazdi versification, Bakhtiarnama abridgement
Source for composition and adaptation information

Recorded secondary versions
Persian Sindbadnama Azod Yazdi versification Bakhtiarnama abridgement Nakhshabi abridgement 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
London British Library IO Islamic 3214	Persian	London, British Library	1575/85
London British Library Or. 225	Persian	London, British Library	1622 CE
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	1675/6
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	1375 - 1400

Language and Composition
Language of version	Persian
Regional or specific language of version	Dari (Insha)
Translated into (languages)
Place of composition
Date of composition
Islamic date of composition
Hebrew date of composition
Source for date of composition

Modern Scholarship and Editions
Modern research literature	Perry (1960), Zakeri (2023), Dabir Siyaqi (1955), (see specific versions for more)
Modern Editions

Notes and 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	Has Name Variation

Connected prints
No connected prints