Description

Kesfu'z Zunun an Esami'l-Kutubi ve'l - Funun [Kitaplarin ve Ilimlerin Isimlerinden Suphelerin Giderilmesi] I - II - III - IV - V [5 volumes set]., Katip Celebi, translator: Rustu Balci, Tarih vakfi yurt yayinlari, Ist., 2007. Paperback. Mint. 4to. (27.5 x 20 cm). In total 2160 p. "Kashf az-zunun an asami l-kutub wa l-funun: Katib Celebi¿s bibliographical dictionary, written in Arabic. It represents a unique achievement in that, after a general introduction which to a large extent depends on Ibn Khaldun¿s Muqaddima, it consists of one continuous alphabetic sequence of ca. 14.500 book titles and 300 names of sciences. With the latter Katib Celebi is taking Ta¿köprüzade¿s (d. 968/1561) Miftah al-saada as his model. In every entry for a book Katib Celebi noted, wherever possible, the title, the language, the name of the author and the date of composition, the incipit, the division into chapters (the presence of which can be taken as an indication that he had actually seen the book), as well as translations and commentaries (as cross references). Entries on sciences were also intended to include a list of relevant book titles as cross references, but these are often missing. In certain instances entries also include criticism of the book or the author. The scope of the work covers Arabic, Persian, and Turkish literature, with a few references to Greek texts. While the book is still appreciated as a reference, its potential as a source for 11th/17th century intellectual history, in particular in the definition of a literary and scholarly canon, has not yet been explored. The way in which Katip Celebi managed to arrange this mass of material is still not entirely clear. Birnbaum has argued that he must have used a system of index cards as the basis of the work. Preserved is an autograph of a partial fine copy, ending with article ¿¿durus¿. According to a note in Mizanü¿l-haqq, the fine copy had reached the letter ha in 1063/1652. For the rest, the author¿s draft with numerous marginal additions and annotations has been preserved. Whereas early editions and an edition-cum-translation are based on individual manuscripts, the autograph has been used as the basis of the edition by Bilge and Yaltkaya. In addition to a short continuation by Hanifzade Ahmed Tahir (d. 1217/1802), entitled Hadis-i nev, a larger one was authored by Bagdadli Ismail Pascha (d. 1339/1920), together with an index of authors.".