What's in the Manuscripts of Timbuktu? A Survey of the Contents of 31 Private Libraries

Charles C. Stewart

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The Arabic manuscripts of Timbuktu have received considerable publicity during the past 25 years, yet their contents remain largely unknown. Since 2012, an inventory of nearly 350,000 Timbuktu manuscripts in private libraries has been underway, and the contents of those libraries are now accessible in the West African Arabic Manuscript Database (WAAMD). This analysis examines 31 of the 35 libraries and in addition to reporting on their contents, notes challenges in accessing incompletely identified works, and compares the manuscripts with other West African collections.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)279-308
Number of pages30
JournalHistory in Africa
Volume48
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 20 2021

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • History

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