Folio from the Manuscript of Khawass al-Ashjar (The Characteristics of Trees)

• Accession Number:AKM2
• Creator:Author: Dioscorides, Greek, ca. 40 - ca. 90
• Place:Iraq
• Dimensions:24.2 cm × 17.3 cm
• Date:13th century
• Materials and Technique:Opaque watercolour and ink on paper

• Khawass al-Ashjar is an Arabic translation of De Materia Medicia, attributed to the first-century Greek physician, Pedanius Dioscorides. Originally translated in the ninth century, the text is considered as one of the earliest scientific manuscripts to be translated from Greek to Arabic. 

Further Reading    

This plant, with its berry-like red flowers, has been identified as nardin (spikenard)—a plant historically used for extracting aromatic oil from its roots. Two different green plants are painted on the backside of the folio. The text on the left side reads as follows: "Here is a species of darwanj (doronicum)"—a daisy-like flowering plant.