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siderea"it's traditional for one family member from each generation to swear publicly that he will protect the library for as long as he lives."
Over the last year, librarians, scholars and volunteers smuggled almost three-hundred thousand medieval manuscripts out of Timbuktu and into hiding, in advance of -- and under the nose of -- Ansar Dine, saving the books from burning.
The story of how it was done and what it entailed is astonishing and would make a great movie. But before even taking in what the rescue of 1,700 steamer-trunk-sized chests of books involved, my brain ground to a complete halt on the phrase, "300,000 manuscripts".
Was there ever a point when there were 300,000 manuscripts, total, in all of Europe? Isn't that, like, more books than there ever were, all together, in the Christian West, before the printing press? The Vatican Library has 75,000 codices; from that Wikipedia page: "When its first librarian, Bartolomeo Platina, produced a listing in 1481, the library held over 3,500 items, making it by far the largest in the Western world."
Mali had 300,000 manuscripts in one city.
I've known for a long time the role of dar al-Islam in preserving classical knowledge and the cultivation of learning through the Middle Ages, and thought I understood clearly how much more advanced intellectual life was in Muslim realms than in the Christian ones. But I guess not. It has never has it been made so concrete to me. Three hundred thousand manuscripts. Three hundred thousand manuscripts.
Over the last year, librarians, scholars and volunteers smuggled almost three-hundred thousand medieval manuscripts out of Timbuktu and into hiding, in advance of -- and under the nose of -- Ansar Dine, saving the books from burning.
The story of how it was done and what it entailed is astonishing and would make a great movie. But before even taking in what the rescue of 1,700 steamer-trunk-sized chests of books involved, my brain ground to a complete halt on the phrase, "300,000 manuscripts".
Was there ever a point when there were 300,000 manuscripts, total, in all of Europe? Isn't that, like, more books than there ever were, all together, in the Christian West, before the printing press? The Vatican Library has 75,000 codices; from that Wikipedia page: "When its first librarian, Bartolomeo Platina, produced a listing in 1481, the library held over 3,500 items, making it by far the largest in the Western world."
Mali had 300,000 manuscripts in one city.
I've known for a long time the role of dar al-Islam in preserving classical knowledge and the cultivation of learning through the Middle Ages, and thought I understood clearly how much more advanced intellectual life was in Muslim realms than in the Christian ones. But I guess not. It has never has it been made so concrete to me. Three hundred thousand manuscripts. Three hundred thousand manuscripts.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-29 07:49 am (UTC)I am so glad to hear that these priceless treasures in Timbuktu were saved, and to learn a bit about the amazing efforts it took to save them. This would, I agree, make a great movie!
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-29 08:49 am (UTC)If it is not forbidden, I hope one day to hear those 300,000 manuscripts have been scanned.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-29 07:28 pm (UTC)299,000282,000[*] to go.[* They estimate they didn't get about 5% out.]
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-29 08:58 pm (UTC)Turns out my reading-for-detail goes almost up to acceptable once I'm less exhausted. Thanks for pointing out what I should have caught the first go.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-30 05:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-05-01 11:59 pm (UTC)