Closer Look

Folio Dimensions:

    17.0 cm wide x 24.2 cm high

Description:  
   
    Verso of one folio section of a bifolium from an Arabic
    manuscript book on Euclidian geometry.
    This bifolium had become detached and was loose in the binding.
    The two folios which make up this bifolium are stuck together.
    The verso face of one folio has adhered to the recto of the other.
    Brown "oriental" paper.
    Chain and rule lines are faintly visible in the paper.
    The manuscript from which this page originated was in a fire 
    (see note below).
    Paper is water stained and brittle. 
    The water damage has resulted in mold growth.  
    Patches of a powdery white mold and black mold are present on
    the surface of the paper.
    Paper is insect damaged (trail and holes).
    Paper is dirty (brown dirt).


Recto

     Description not avaliable.

Verso

    Fifteen lines of text.
    Main text is written in black ink.
    Highlighted words and the beginning and end of statements 
    are written in red ink.
    Interlinear and marginal notes are written in black ink in
    a smaller hand than the main text.
    In the upper outer margin is an annotated diagram of a circle 
    drawn in black ink. 
    The circle diagram illustrates Proposition 3 of the third book
    of Euclid's Elements. 
    Traces of a small circle (bottom) and part of a unfinished 
    larger circle (top, below circle diagram) which appear to have   
    have been erased (ink washed off) are visible in the outer 
    margin area.
    This page appears to be the only one in the manuscript which 
    includes a diagram illustration.
    Page is unnumbered.


    
    
Additional notes about the manuscript.

    The book from which this bifolium originated was in poor 
    condition when it was acquired.
    The book had been in a fire and was water damaged.
    Page edges are black/darkened.
    Paper was heavily water damaged, especially around edges.
    Improper drying resulted in mold damage (a podwery white 
    mold and black spotty mold).
    Paper is brittle and some pages have stuck together.
    Insect damage to some of the pages has resulted in trails 
    and holes.
    Improper handling has resulted in some pages becoming damaged   
    (torn, cracked, and loose).
    The manuscript is also very dirty.
    The complete manuscript consists of about 120 unnumbered folios.
    A propper colation is not available at the present time.
    The book has a European style binding.  
    The binding consists of a dark maroon-brown linnen cloth over    
    cardboard covers.  
    The cloth originally had a paper covering.