Accession number
MS M.652
Object title
De materia medica.
Created
Constantinople, mid 10th cent.
Binding
Greek 14th- or 15th-century dark brown leather, blind tooled to a lozenge pattern, over heavy boards; in brown morocco case.
Credit line
Purchased by J.P. Morgan (1867-1943), 1920.
Description
385 leaves (1 column, 30 lines), bound : vellum, ill. ; 395 x 300 mm
Provenance
In Constantinople in the 15th century; owned by an Arabic-speaking person (who added inscriptions in Arabic and genitalia to some animals); owned by Manuel Eugenicos, Constantinople, 1578 (listed in his library catalogue); Domenico Sestini, ca. 1820; collection of Marchese C. Rinuccini, Florence, 1820-1849 (MS Cod. 69); Payne and Foss, London, 1849-1857; Payne sale (London, Sotheby's, Apr. 30, 1857) to Charles Phillipps for Sir Thomas Phillipps (Phillipps Collection, no. 21975); purchased by J.P. Morgan (1867-1943) from Phillipps's estate in 1920.
Notes
Ms. herbal; written and illuminated in Constantinople in the mid 10th century.
Alphabetical five-book version of Dioscorides, De Materia Medica.
Decoration: 769 illustrations; several headpieces and tailpieces.
Plant and animal identifications are based primarily on Morgan Library notes and Dioscorides, De Materia Medica, trans. Lily Y. Beck (2005). Also consulted: André, J., Noms de plantes dans la Rome antique (1985); Der Wiener Dioskurides: Codex medicus Graecus 1 der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek, Kommentar von Otto Mazal (1998-1999).
Alphabetical five-book version of Dioscorides, De Materia Medica.
Decoration: 769 illustrations; several headpieces and tailpieces.
Plant and animal identifications are based primarily on Morgan Library notes and Dioscorides, De Materia Medica, trans. Lily Y. Beck (2005). Also consulted: André, J., Noms de plantes dans la Rome antique (1985); Der Wiener Dioskurides: Codex medicus Graecus 1 der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek, Kommentar von Otto Mazal (1998-1999).
Contents
fols. 1v-199v: Dioscorides, De Materia Medica, Book I. Roots and Herbs -- fols. 200r-220v: Dioscorides, De Materia Medica, Book II. Animals, Parts of Animals and Products from Living Creatures -- fols. 221r-242v: Dioscorides, De Materia Medica, Book III. Oils and Ointments. -- fols. 243r-269v: Dioscorides, De Materia Medica, Book IV. Trees -- fols. 270v-305v: Dioscorides, De Materia Medica, Book V. Wines and Minerals etc. -- fols. 306r-319v: Dioscorides, attr., On the Power of Strong Drugs to Help or Harm -- fols. 319v-327v: Dioscorides, attr., On Poisons and their Effect -- fols. 328r-330v: Dioscorides, attr., On the Cure of Efficacious Poisons -- fols. 331r-333v: A Mithridatic Antidote -- fols. 334r-338r: Anonymous Poem on the Powers of Herbs -- fols. 338r-361r, 377r-384v: Eutecnius, Paraphrase of the Theriaca of Nicander -- fols. 361v-375r: Eutecnius, Paraphrase of the Alexipharmaca of Nicander -- fols. 375r-376v: Paraphrase of the Haliutica of Oppianos (incomplete).
Script
minuscule
Language
Greek
Resources
Century
Catalog link
Classification
Department