Language of Material: Latin, Farsi, English.

Material Specific Details: Germany, Wurtzburg Missal (with Gothic)

Material Specific Details: Manuscripts Hieronymus, Saint c. 340-420

Material Specific Details: Panel painted on gold leaf

Material Specific Details: The text is Farsi from c. 100 years ago. The most likely source: The Martyrdom of Imam Abbas. The text on the front refers to the death of Imam Hossein (third Shi'a Imam who was the grandson of the Prophet and was killed ruthlessly at Kerbela). Top: برهوت در کجاست چون بدانجا رسیدی صحرایی ببینی یک طرف او سیاه و بی گیاه و یک طرف آن سبز و خرّم Partial bottom: آنچه بر سر اهل بیت از اشقیای امت رسید که قلم از تحریر آن عاجز است و آن ستم که کشیده اند . English translation: Top: "The desert is a place where once you get there, on one side of it there is darkness and no plants and on the other side you'll see greens and plants Bottom: the pen is ashamed and is unable to write because of the hardship and injustice that the people had to go through. Bottom left: "That which befell the household (ahle beyt) at the hands of the ruthless ones...." The image is of polo players, which is in a number of Persian manuscripts. To name a few, these include the "Shahnama," Niziami's "Khusro and Shirin," and the 17th century manuscript about Safavid polo playing ("Guy o Chogun"). There is text (Farsi) on the back of the manuscript and translates to the following: "…[From] reliable [sources] it is recounted that after the setting of the sun of the anointed one, and after the passing of Mohammad, the Chosen one (May God's blessing be upon him) Abubakr, the cursed, with the assistance of the enemies of the true faith, impertinently stepped up on the Prophet's pulpit. One day, that essence of the book of ignorance was sitting in the mosque and suddenly a youth entered through the door and said, "Who is it that reposes on the seat of the Prophet's law and has opened the door of audience on the seekers of the abode of faith?" Abubakr said, "It is I!" They told him [the youth] "Why did you not address him as the leader of the faithful?" That youth replied, "The leader of the faithful is one who possesses many meritorious attributes, and I know that among these attributes is not waywardness from the Faith; and I have heard that you worshipped idols for forty years, after which you converted to Islam' and the Quran that was revealed to the prophet contains this verse, 'Say do not ask for any rewards other than love in nearness to me.' If you are indeed the Caliph, it becomes necessary that, God forbid, your prophet has ignored the purport of this verse, for bestowing that love to one's kin and giving the Caliphate to one's own is not right. Far be it from the Prophet to act in contradiction to what has been revealed by God. Therefore, the Caliphate is not yours. Abubakr said, "Consent of the majority has priority over the Caliphate." The youth said, "If you are sincere in your claim, bring about a miracle. I have an important matter; if you resolve it, you are the leader of the faithful." He [Abubakr] said, "What matter is that?" The youth said, "I had a father who was a Jew and an enemy of the Prophet, but I was enamored of the prophet of God. I was with my father and mother, and I exhorted them against enmity, and for this reason they were displeased with me. My father had great wealth, which upon his death, he did not bequeath to me. Now that you are the successor of God's Prophet, I want you to inform me of the whereabouts of that wealth." Abubakr replied, "This is something, of which no one but the Lord is capable." The youth said, "You are lying! Whoever is the heir of the Prophet of God and the Caliph of God's messenger must know. Was your prophet false?" Abubakr said, "God forbid! Our prophet was true, and the word of God was revealed to him." The youth said, "If this is so, the Prophet's heir must also be true and be aware of all that is hidden. You are ignorant and stupid, and you futilely repose in the place of the pure ones." He said this and exited the mosque. Abuzar who was present there took the youth's hand and said, "Come, so that I take you to the heir of the Prophet of God and the true Caliph who possesses all knowledge. Then he took the youth to the presence of the leader of the faithful [Ali], and as the youth glanced the sun-like beauty of His Holiness he said, "O leader of the faithful, I have a problem." "What problem is that?", asked His Holiness. The youth recounted his narrative to the resolvers of all problems until he reached the part in which he asked, "Where is my father's wealth and where is buried. Inform me of this." Then the great scion gave him a written note and said, "Go to the lands of Yemen and ask of the denizens thereof that…."

Language of Material: Farsi

Material Specific Details: No Date