A little-studied manuscript created by special order of Mirzo Ulugbek has been presented in Tashkent
The astronomical Book of Fixed Stars is a unique manuscript that contains indisputable evidence that it was created by order of the outstanding son of the Uzbek land Mirzo Ulugbek.
The authenticity and historical value of the manuscript is beyond doubt - it contains a miniature with the image of Mirzo Ulugbek in the form of the Cepheus constellation, circular inscriptions in gold ink and other signs of belonging to the library of the "scientist on the throne". It was announced during the 5th International Congress "Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan - the Foundation of a new Renaissance." A facsimile (reproduction of any graphic original) of this ancient manuscript was made by the Austrian publishing house Mueller&Shindler together with the World Society for the Study, Preservation and Promotion of the Cultural Legacy of the Republic as part of the project Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan in the World Collections.
The author of the work is Abd ar-Rahman ibn Umar al-Sufi, famous astronomer and astrologer of the 10th century . In medieval astronomy, the Book of Fixed Stars became a truly milestone work, and, of course, it helped the scientist Ulugbek, who worked on creating his own astronomical tables. This manuscript belonged personally to Mirzo Ulugbek, and contains notes made by his hand.
The manuscript is currently stored in the collection of the National Library of France.
“We have been collaborating with the Bibliothèque nationale de France for many years, and the facsimile of The Book of Fixed Stars is already the second edition that has become the result of our partnership. Prior to that, we created a facsimile copy of the famous religious and philosophical work Mirajname. We are infinitely happy that with the personal support of the President of Uzbekistan, the Austrian publishing house Mueller & Schindler, as the dreams of scientists from all over the world are becoming a reality, because this is very important for preserving the richest cultural heritage of our country. Also, on behalf of the World Society, I would like to express gratitude to the Embassy of Uzbekistan in France and the oilfield service company Eriell Group for their assistance in the implementation of the project. The value of facsimile publications lies in the fact that they almost completely create an idea of how the original manuscript looked like,” said Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Chairman of the Board of the World Society for the Study, Preservation and Promotion of the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan.
He also noted that the World Society and Mueller & Shindler Publishing House have already created six facsimile editions of manuscripts. Among them are the Kattalangar Qur'an from the collections of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Zafarname - description of the life and work of the great ruler and commander Amir Timur, Divan by Husayn Bayqara, the manuscripts Mirajname and Temur Tuzuklari. All facsimiles are donated to museums and libraries in Uzbekistan.
