Jamshid teaches the crafts to humanity, from Bal`ami's History (Ta'rikh-i Bal`ami)

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Jamshid teaches the crafts to humanity, folio from Bal`ami's History (Ta'rikh-i Bal`ami). This account of ancient kings and prophets describes here the reign of Jamshid, a legendary ancient king of Iran, whose benevolent reign was peaceful and productive. Jamshid introduced to humanity many of the craft technologies, including spinning, weaving, needlework and tailoring, and metalworking (all illustrated here). Writing in late tenth century Bukhara at the Samanid court of Mansur ibn Nuh (r. 961-976), the minister and historian Muhammad al-Bal`ami composed a new work in Persian, translating and supplementing The History of the Prophets and Kings (Ta'rikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk, in Arabic) by the `Abbasid scholar Abu Ja`far Muhammad al-Tabari (d. 923). This illustrated copy of Bal`ami's history was produced in Timurid Herat, in the year 1470. Folio, ink, colours and gold on paper, Persian text in nasta`liq script, with painting (on recto), Herat, Afghanistan, dated Sha`ban 874H, February 1470. This is one of seven folios detached from its codex, which is also in the Chester Beatty Persian collection (Per 144).