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Syriac Manuscripts in the British Library
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Data Version: 0.14

Add. 14,681

URI: https://bl.syriac.uk/ms/537
Description based on Wright CXXIII (1:78-79) Link to Archive.org Bibliographic record
Date: 12th or 13th century
Unspecified Syriac script (multiple hands) ܀ Paper Codex, 169 leaves.
Features: Decoration
Wright's Subject Classification: New Testament
This manuscript contains: The Acts of the Apostles; The three Catholic Epistles; The remaining Apostolic Epistles; The Epistles of S. Paul. In total, including sub-sections, this manuscript contains 10 items.

Physical Description

Paper, about 9 3/8 in. by 6 5/8, consisting of 169 leaves, many of which are much stained and torn, especially foll. 1, 2, 69—78, 96, 100—108, and 163—169. The quires, signed with letters, must have been at least 40 in number; but the first 20 (which probably contained the Gospels) are lost. Of the remainder (ܟܐ—ܡ), the last is also missing, and there are, lacunae after foll. 2, 70, and 76. The number of lines in each page varies from 20 to 25. This volume is written in a regular, but inelegant hand of the xiith or xiiith cent. Greek vowels, as well as the points rukkākh and kushshāi have been added, both in black and red ink.

Hand 1 (major, Unspecified Syriac script): This volume is written in a regular, but inelegant hand of the 12th or 13th century.
Hand 2 (minor, West Syriac script): See additions.
Hand 3 (minor, Unspecified Syriac script): See additions.
Hand 4 (minor, Unspecified Coptic script): See additions.
Hand 5 (minor, Unspecified Syriac script): See decoration note.
Hand 6 (minor, Unspecified Syriac script): See additions.
Decoration (Ornamentation): There are ornamental designs in red, yellow, and black, on foll.51 a, 84 a, 106 b, 120 b, and 128 b.
Decoration (Rubrication):

Manuscript Contents

Note: Item numbering updated in digital edition.
Item 1 (Fol. 1a): The Acts of the Apostles [defective]
Notes:
  • Divided on the margin into 32 sections.
  • Missing portions: ch. i. 1 —ii. 42 and iv. 3 —23.
Item 2 (Fol. 52a): The three Catholic Epistles
Note: Divided on the margin into 32 sections (ܠܒ, fol. 66 a).
Item 3 (Fol. 52a): The Epistle of S. James
Item 4 (Fol. 57a): The first Epistle of S. Peter
Item 5 (Fol. 63a): The first Epistle of S. John
Item 6 (Fol. 68a): The remaining Apostolic Epistles [defective]
Note: The Epistle of S. Jude has been lost.
Item 7 (Fol. 68a): The second Epistle of S. John
Item 8 (Fol. 68b): The third Epistle of S. John
Item 9 (Fol. 69b): The second Epistle of S. Peter [defective]
Note: Ending with ch. ii. 4.
Item 10 (Fol. 71a): The Epistles of S. Paul [defective]
Notes:
  • In the usual order.
  • The Pauline Epistles are divided into 50 sections (ܢܢ, fol. 169 a).
  • The missing portions are: Romans, ch. i. 1—32, vi. 1— xi. 24; and Hebrews, ch. iv. 10 to the end.

Additions

N.B., folio location may not be available for some items below.
Addition 1: Greek vowels, as well as the points rukkākh and kushshāi have been added, both in black and red ink.
Addition 2: Of lessons there are scarcely any noted in the handwriting of the scribe (see fol. 63 a) ; but a later hand has marked many in the Acts, Catholic and other Epistles, as well as in those of S. Paul. A partial index to these last, ܩܘܕܝܟܣ ܕܫܠܝܚܐ ܦܘܠܘܣ ܛܘܒܢܐ, has been written by the same hand on fol. 51 b.
Addition 3: The same reader has covered the margins of the volume with various readings and notes. The various readings are either from other copies of the Pěshittā ( ܏ܒܨ, i.e.ܒܨܚܚܐ ), or from the Harklensian version ( ܚܪܩܠܝܐ ,ܚ܏ܪܩ or ܒ܏ܚܪܩ ). The notes are mostly explanatory of single words in the text, and introduced by ܏ܗ, i.e.ܗܳܢܰܘ . Occasionally, however, writers are cited; e.g. Basil, fol. 90 b; Severus, fol. 90 b; Philoxenus, ܡܪܝ ܐܟܣܢܝܐ fol. 116 a, ܦܝܠܠܟܣܝܢܘܣ fol. 161 b; Theodosius, ܬܐܘܕܘܣܝ foll. 137 a, 157 a; and the abbot Bar-Gagai, ܪܝܫܕܝܪܐ ܒܪܓ݁ܰܐܓ݁ܰܝ, fol. 85 a.
Addition 4: There is also a Coptic division of the same portions of Scripture; viz. of the Acts into 48 sections (ⲯⲃ, fol. 50 a), the Epistle of S. James into 7 (, fol. 56 a), S. Peter into 8 (, fol. 62 a), and S. John into 5 (, fol. 67 a). The second Epistle of S. Peter has 3 of these sections ( , fol. 70 b). In the Pauline Epistles they are not marked.
Addition 5 (Fol. 120b): On fol. 120 b there is recorded the name of one John, from Mount Lebanon. ܕܦ̇ܓܥ ܘܩ̇ܪܐ ܒܟܬܒܐ ܗܢܐ ܡܠܐ ܚ̈ܝܐ ܘܝ̇ܬܪ ܡܢܗ: ܢܨ̇ܠܐ ܥܠ ܝܘܚܢܢ ܕܘܝܐ ܘܚܛܝܐ ܒܪ ܩܲܫܐ ܐܝܣܚܩ ܒܪ ܩܘܡܘܣ ܓܘܪܓܝܣ ܒܪ ܩܘܡܘܣ ܝܥܩܘܒ ܡܢ ܛܘܪ ܠܒܢܢ ܒܩܘܪܒܐ ܕܐܪ̈ܙܐ ܕܢܨܝܒ݂ܝܢ ܒܒܝܬܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ.

How to Cite This Entry

William Wright et al., “” in , last modified April 21, 2023, https://bl.syriac.uk/ms/537.

Bibliography:

William Wright et al., “.” In , edited by . Syriaca.org: The Syriac Reference Portal, 2023. Entry published April 21, 2023. https://bl.syriac.uk/ms/537.

About this Entry

Entry Title: London, BL, Add. 14681

Authorial and Editorial Responsibility:

  • David A. Michelson, general editor, Syriaca.org: The Syriac Reference Portal
  • , editor,
  • William Wright, David A. Michelson, Daniel J. Greeson, Tucker D. Hannah, and Robert Aydin, entry contributors, “”

Additional Credit:

  • Created by Tucker D. Hannah
  • Based on the work of William Wright
  • Edited by Tucker D. Hannah
  • Syriac text entered by Robert Aydin
  • Greek and coptic text entry and proofreading by Ryan Stitt
  • Project management by Elizabeth Walston
  • English text entry and proofreading by Syriac Research Group, University of Alabama
  • Decoration information encoded by Alexys Ahn
  • Decorations identified and categorized by Beth Maczka
  • Folio extent edited by Kurt Urban

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