UPDATE
December 14, 2014
Dear FEZANA members and fellow zarathushtis
FEZANA has learnt from Professor Almut Hintz, the Zartoshty Brothers Professor of Zoroastrianism at School of Oriental and African Studies, that a valuable and unique Avestan manuscript of Yasna was discovered in the rare book collection of Columbia University. This manuscript was the one that K. F. Geldner used for his edition of the Avesta 100 years ago. The whereabouts of the manuscript was unkno wn and was believed to be lost. However, about ten years ago S1 was recovered, identified and entered in the holdings of Columbia University as a part of the collection, that belonged to Professor A.V. W. Jackson. Prof. Jackson was a well known Iranist and Zoroastrian scholar who authored books such as ‘Zoroaster, the Prophet of Ancient Iran’ and ‘Persia Past and Present’ in the late 19th century.
The manuscript S1 is among the most precious Zoroastrian manuscripts in the rare book collection owned by Columbia University. It is not the oldest Avestan manuscript but scholars agree it is an important witness of the Sanskrit translation of Yasna. It needs to be restored so as to make it available for the complete study of transmission of the Avesta and for an edition of the Sanskrit Yasna. Once restored the plan is to photograph it, publish it online as a book in facsimile, with an introduction. The restored manuscript would reside at Columbia University. There has been excitement amongst us about restoring the manuscript, Yasna S1, owned by Columbia University Rare Book Collections.
However, it has come to our notice that there are other sources where a copy of this manuscript may be available in another personal collection. We need to establish the identity of the manuscript in Columbia University collection with the one of the other collection, by directly comparing the two copies. Regardless of the multiple copies of Manuscript S1, we at FEZANA firmly believe that we must assist to restore all available copies of this manuscript.
Due diligence is being done to the fund raising project for the restoration. We are in the process of establishing the identity of the copies of manuscript S1. This can take some time. We seek your indulgence and hope to update you as the factual information emerges on the situation. Our up-to-date analysis of this matter will set your mind in a better frame.
Dr. Jehan Bagli
Chair, FEZANA Research & Preservation Committee
Katayun Kapadia
President, FEZANA
Restoration of an Invaluable legacy
Discovery of a Rare Avestan Manuscript S1
At Columbia University
FEZANA has learnt from Professor Almut Hintz of School of Oriental and African Studies, that a valuable and unique Avestan manuscript of Yasna has been discovered in the rare book collection of Columbia University that once belonged to Professor A.V. W. Jackson. Prof. Jackson was a well known Iranist and Zoroastrian scholar who authored books such as ‘Zoroaster, the Prophet of Ancient Iran’ and ‘Persia Past and Present’ in the late 19th century.
This find uncovers one of the most important Avestan Yasna with a Sanskrit translation long believed to have been lost. The manuscript is in poor state of preservation and badly needs to be restored before it can be photographed and published for study and research.
Columbia University has been persuaded to bear half the restoration cost through the efforts of professors Hintze and Yarshater. The other half, US $ 5612.50, is urgently needed to fill the complete cost. Donations are sought from the Zoroastrian diaspora –the individuals, the member Associations and the small groups to raise funds to cover half the cost of restoration of this rare manuscript. This manuscript can represent an invaluable source of research in religious education to benefit the Zarathushti community.
You can either make a payment using our online credit card transaction form below, or checks can be made out to FEZANA (Marked “Restoration of Manuscript S1” as memo) and mailed to : Nilufer K. Shroff, FEZANA Treasurer, Cherry Hill P.O. Box 3873, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034.
Nilufer can be reached at treasurer@fezana.org
