Starting off the UK Manuscript Tour!
Theresa Zischkin has begun her UK research trip in the historic city of Cambridge. Her first stop was the Cambridge University Library, where she had the opportunity to examine three remarkable manuscripts. Together with Kristine Rose-Beers and Firuza Melville, she studied, among others, the Dīwān-i Hilālī. We are deeply grateful for their support and the insightful suggestions they shared during this visit.
The following three days were spent in the conservation laboratory of The Fitzwilliam Museum, where Theresa was able to explore a variety of manuscripts and single folios using her own as well as parts of the lab’s analytical equipment. Highlights included a selection from a Būstān-i Saʿdī with stencilled margins, an 18th-century Lucknow song collection adorned with delicate gold and silver flecks, and individual folios featuring richly coloured and painted borders. Under the microscope, she investigated the histories of these books and their composite parts, observing how the manuscripts were assembled and how their materials interact over time.
On the final day of this first leg of the trip, Theresa worked in the study room of The Fitzwilliam Museum, revisiting several manuscripts and folios alongside Firuza Melville, with a particular focus on the works of P. C. Manuk.
This week in Cambridge was exceptionally informative and rewarding. We extend our sincere thanks to Suzanne Reynolds, Flavia Fiorillo, Ellen Gage, Louise McLaughlin, Richard Farleigh, and Paul van Laar for their generous support, thoughtful advice, and the inspiring tour of the lab, which included a fascinating introduction to their ongoing projects.
Stay tuned for the next chapter of Theresa’s UK adventure!