Paris, BULAC Ara 606 and its relation to the Arabic Euclidean transmission attributed to al-Ḥajjāj

Authors

Gregg De Young, The American University in Cairo

Funding Sponsor

British Library

Author's Department

Mathematics & Actuarial Science Department

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hm.2025.04.002

All Authors

Gregg De Young

Document Type

Research Article

Publication Title

Historia Mathematica

Publication Date

6-1-2025

doi

10.1016/j.hm.2025.04.002

Abstract

I introduce a recently discovered Arabic manuscript containing a version of Euclid's Elements: Paris, BULAC, Ara 606. In an attempt to situate Ara 606 within the Arabic Euclidean tradition, I survey the manuscript evidence currently known to me reporting characteristics of the tradition ascribed by medieval authors to al-Ḥajjāj and show that Ara 606 includes all the formulations explicitly attributed to al-Ḥajjāj. These features suggest that Ara 606 belongs to the Ḥajjāj tradition, along with Mumbai, Mullā Fīrūz, R.I.6 studied by Brentjes (2006, 2018). Another surprising result is that St. Petersburg, Akad. Nauk, S-2145 appears to be a hybrid manuscript, containing a traditional Isḥāq-Thābit version in books I–VI but containing a version very similar to Ara 606 in books VII–XIII. These two manuscripts thus provide an important complement to the Mumbai manuscript because they contain a Ḥajjāj-related version similar to that found in Mumbai but extending beyond book IX, where the Mumbai manuscript breaks off.

First Page

87

Last Page

126

Recommended Citation

APA Citation

De Young, G. (2025). Paris, BULAC Ara 606 and its relation to the Arabic Euclidean transmission attributed to al-Ḥajjāj. Historia Mathematica, 71, 87–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hm.2025.04.002

MLA Citation

De Young, Gregg "Paris, BULAC Ara 606 and its relation to the Arabic Euclidean transmission attributed to al-Ḥajjāj." Historia Mathematica, vol. 71, 2025, pp. 87–126.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hm.2025.04.002