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New Collection of Zoroastrian Manuscripts at the Institute of Iranian Studies

The collection contains six Zoroastrian manuscripts from Iran and India

The collection contains six Zoroastrian manuscripts from Iran and India
Bildquelle: © Shervin Farridnejad

News vom 22.08.2018

The Institute for Iranian Studies of the FU Berlin has adquired a small collection of Avestan and other Zoroastrian mansucripts related with the performance of rituals in Avestan language. We have done it in the frame of our two actual projects:

the Avestan Digital Archive (ADA) and the Corpus Avesticum Berolinense (CAB).

The collection was formerly in the possession of Farideh Motakef in the USA. It consists of different manuscripts of diverse origins (Indian and Iranian) and with several former owners (like Mobed Xodābaxš). It entails six manuscripts, two of Iranian origin and four from India.

After a preliminary analysis done by Alberto Cantera and Jaime Martínez, we can advance a short description of the manuscripts:

1. Wisperad Gāhāmbār with Drōn and šnūman drōn and several Nērang. It was written in the circle of Rostām Goštāsp. Formerly it belonged to mobewd Xodābaxš.
2. Yasna a very short paragra (very seldom in Iranian manuscripts). Without date, rather modern.
3. Incomplete Visperad with Pahlavi translation. Although without colophon, Jaime Martínez identifies clear signs that it was written in Navsari. .
4. Indian Xorde Avesta without date
5. Collection of Drōn plus a Rivāyat that has to be identified. According to Jaime Martínez, likely copoied in Baruch
6. Copy of the Rivāyat written by Šahryār Irdešīr together Gīw Isfandyār.

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