an auspicious manuscript: the new-found saint-joseph edition of the shāh-nāmeh

the discovery and publication of saint-joseph manuscript of beirut is a very important event in shāh-nāmeh studies. in addition to other valid versions like florence manuscript (614 a.h.), london manuscript (675 a.h.), topkapi palace of istanbul manuscript (731 a.h.), leningrad manuscript (733 a.h.), cairo manuscript (741 a.h.), and arabic translation of bondāri (621 a.h.), this version may be very suitable in editing the shāh-nāmeh. the author has compared it with his own edition (esfehan, shāh-nāmeh studies 1379, five volumes) during seven months and has found approximately 700 differences. the present essay examines 106 cases to inform the scholars about some of the differences. it is hoped that this new-found edition will pave the way for a more authoritative edition of the shāh-nāmeh.