26/11/10 - Electronic Catalog of Ancient Manuscripts - to preserve the unique heritage

Дата публикации: Jan 19, 2012 1:26:59 PM

It is two years the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan together with the German Gerda Henkel Fund carries out the works on creation of the electronic catalog of manuscripts kept in the main depository of the Abu Rayhon Beruniy Institute of Oriental Studies. A meeting of the international council of academics with the participation of leading experts from Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, United States, France, Switzerland, Japan, and other countries has taken place in Tashkent within this project.

The Abu Rayhon Beruniy Institute of Oriental Studies under the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan is considered one of the most famous scientific institutions of the world that keeps priceless scientific and literature works written in many languages. The most considerable value of the depository is that it keeps from 70 to 100 thousand unique documents of the 9th – 18th centuries written in the Arabic, Farsi, Old-Uzbek, Urdu and other languages of the world people.

The work on cataloging these manuscripts is being carried out in order to preserve them, familiarize the growing generation with this heritage, and create all-round conditions for researchers to study them. For the last several years the eleven-volume catalog has been created including scientific characteristics of more than seven and a half thousand manuscripts. Moreover, a series of catalogs on some themes and products has been published as well. The joint five-year project getting implemented since 2008 by the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan together with the Gerda Henkel Fund targets the creation of the electronic catalog of manuscripts kept in the main depository of the Institute.

“In Uzbekistan that is by right considered one of cradles of the world science and culture, a great emphasis is placed on the careful preservation of hand-written products, historical monuments,” noted Professor Devin Davis of Indiana University, USA. “This rich potential even more strengthens the interest and attention of representatives of the world science in your country. The works on careful preservation and profound studying of national spiritual heritage are being carried out in Uzbekistan at quite high level. The gems kept in the manuscripts depository of the Institute of Oriental Studies acquire considerable value in studying of historical stages of development of both your country and the whole civilization. Therefore, the creation of the electronic catalog of these products urges to promote the expansion of scientific researches, impartial and upright studying of the history.”

The reports devoted to the issues of cataloging the medieval eastern manuscripts, the work carried out within the international project developed in this direction and the forthcoming tasks have been heard at the meeting of international council, as well as prospective directions of international cooperation have been defined.

Shirin Mirzayeva, UT