Christians writing in Arabic, Middle Eastern Christian literature
The Archived Chester Beatty Library Islamic Seals Database
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The Archived Chester Beatty Library Islamic Seals Database:
Screen Shots and Tips For AccessJake Benson, Research Associate for Persian Manuscripts
John Rylands Research Institute and Library
University of Manchester
22 April 2023Since the Chester Beatty Library reformatted its website in 2019, it regrettably removed the Islamic Seal Database, a project spearheaded by (now-retired) Curator Elaine Wright and developed with a grant from the Islamic Manuscript Association (TIMA). As a result, Elaine Wright took screenshots of the archived pages and created an off-line document, to which Jake Benson added instructions on how to access individual entries and images on the archived site.
Main Page: The Chester Beatty Library’s Islamic Seals Database remains unavailable online in its original, fully-functioning form. Devised by the Chester Beatty’s (now-retired) Curator of Islamic Collections, Elaine Wright, and managed by curatorial assistant, Elizabeth Omidvaran (also no longer employed by the CBL), they developed the database with a grant from The Islamic Manuscript Association The Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine archived a limited version of the entire database in which one can view individual seal entries. However, note that while the ‘Full Page’ and ‘See Catalogue Entry’ tabs still function, the ‘Search’, ‘Download’, and ‘Zoom’ features do not. Note: If, when the site opens, the seals are not in order of database number, click the still-functioning ‘Sort by Number’ tab at the upper right of the screen and then on an individual seal:
Screenshots of the archived pages, available for download from this hyperlink, allow one to browse easily and quickly through the pages of seals and/or to search by manuscript number or by database number. Having located a specific seal of interest, note the database number of the seal and the number of the database page on which it appears, access the online archived version (being sure, if necessary, to click the ‘Sort by Number’ tab), then use the ‘Go to Page’ function at the bottom of the page to find the page on which the seal appears.
Direct Links to Individual Entries:
NB: individual entries may sometimes not initially load—or partly load then time out—but if so, just refresh and reload the URL.
Nº 3: https://web.archive.org/web/20180424193411/http:/www.cbl.ie/islamicseals/View-Seals/empty-2.aspx
Nº 4: https://web.archive.org/web/20180424193411/http:/www.cbl.ie/islamicseals/View-Seals/empty-3.aspx
Nº 5: https://web.archive.org/web/20180424193411/http:/www.cbl.ie/islamicseals/View-Seals/empty-4.aspx
Nº 6: https://web.archive.org/web/20180425043557/http://www.cbl.ie/islamicseals/View-Seals/empty-5.aspx
Nº 7: https://web.archive.org/web/20180425043557/http://www.cbl.ie/islamicseals/View-Seals/empty-6.aspx
Nº 8: https://web.archive.org/web/20180425043642/http://www.cbl.ie/islamicseals/View-Seals/08.aspx
Nº 9: https://web.archive.org/web/20180425043653/http://www.cbl.ie/islamicseals/View-Seals/09.aspx
Nº 10: https://web.archive.org/web/20180425043704/http://www.cbl.ie/islamicseals/View-Seals/10.aspx
For numbers 11 and upwards, use the above link, only change the number at the end referencing the screenshots below. Sometimes the archive date also requires changing. Finally, to access both enlarged cropped seal images and high resolution full, load the source code for a specific page and search for ‘.jpg’ hyperlinks that includes the relevant manuscript shelf mark and folio number, then copy and paste them into new windows.
This topic was also posted in: Digital Middle East & Islamic Studies, Islamicate Studies, Persian and Persianate Studies, Arabic script manuscripts.
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