The Códice Casanatense, its popular Portuguese title, or the Codex Casanatense 1889, is a set of 16th-century Portuguese illustrations, which depict peoples and cultures whom the Portuguese frequently had contact with around the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is now kept at the Biblioteca Casanatense in Rome, with the official designation of Album di disegni, illustranti usi e costumi dei popoli d'Asia e d'Africa con brevi dichiarazioni in lingua portoghese ("Album of drawings, illustrating the uses and customs of the people of Asia and Africa with brief descriptions in Portuguese language").
The codex consists of seventy-six watercolor illustrations, one of which is a later addition. Most come with a short description, and include illustrations of people from east Africa, Arabia, Persia, Afghanistan, India, Ceylon, Malaysia, China, and the Moluccas, as well as some insights into fauna, flora, and certain traditions, such as the Hindu religion — previously unknown in Europe. The creator has not been identified and many hypotheses have proven inconclusive.[1][2][3] Several of its inscriptions provide information as to the date it was made, namely the allusion to the siege of Diu in 1538, but the absence of any mention of the Japanese, whom the Portuguese contacted in 1541–1543.[2] It is therefore possible it was made circa 1540.[4]
Its earliest recorded owner was the novice João da Costa of the College of St. Paul of Goa, who in 1627 sent it to Lisbon, according to information inscribed within the codex. Once in Europe, it was acquired by Cardinal Girolamo Casanata who, on his death in 1700, bequeathed it along with his private collection to the Dominican Order, for the creation of a new library, where it is now kept.[5] It was first brought to public attention by the scholar Georg Schurhammer, who published several pictures in the Portuguese historical magazine Garcia da Horta in the 1950s.[6]
The Códice Casanatense provides an extremely rare insight into the culture of the peoples in 16th-century Africa and Asia, and is especially valuable for the study of popular arms and garments of the era.
Galleryedit
Sub-Saharan Africaedit
Abyssiniaedit
Abyssinian warrior and his wife
Nubiaedit
Nubians
Cafreriaedit
Inhabitants of the headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, named Cabo da Boa Esperança and its inhabitants dubbed Cafres by the Portuguese
West Asiaedit
Arabiaedit
Bathing scene of the women of Muscat
Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Fartakh in the east Arabian coast and Socotra, called Fartaques by the Portuguese
Arabian merchants from the Hejaz
Farmers from southeastern Arabia, possibly Yemen, called Boduis by the Portuguese
"Sailors" from Arabia, probably fishermen
Sailors from Arabia, repetition
Mesopotamiaedit
"Rumes" (Turks) that inhabit the Red Sea and Basra
Marsh Arabs
Hormuzedit
Persian couple from Hormuz
A dinner of Portuguese in Hormuz; the climate was hot enough that people purposely flooded their homes
Persia and Afghanistanedit
A couple from Shiraz
A couple from Khorassan
Turkmens from Persia
Nautaques, Baloch fishermen who also attacked trade ships
^ abLosty, Jeremiah. "Codex Casanatense 1889: an Indo-Portuguese 16th century album in a Roman library". Retrieved 26 January 2018. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^Thomas, David; Chesworth, John A. (17 December 2014). Christian-Muslim Relations. A Bibliographical History.: Volume 6. Western Europe (1500-1600). BRILL. ISBN9789004281110. Retrieved 26 January 2018 – via Google Books.
De Matos, Luis (1985). Imagens do Oriente no século XVI: Reprodução do Códice português da Biblioteca Casanatense. Lisbon: Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda.
External linksedit
Official Webpage of the Biblioteca Casanatense
Portuguese Codice
December 14, 2023
códice, casanatense, popular, portuguese, title, codex, casanatense, 1889, 16th, century, portuguese, illustrations, which, depict, peoples, cultures, whom, portuguese, frequently, contact, with, around, indian, pacific, oceans, kept, biblioteca, casanatense, . The Codice Casanatense its popular Portuguese title or the Codex Casanatense 1889 is a set of 16th century Portuguese illustrations which depict peoples and cultures whom the Portuguese frequently had contact with around the Indian and Pacific oceans It is now kept at the Biblioteca Casanatense in Rome with the official designation of Album di disegni illustranti usi e costumi dei popoli d Asia e d Africa con brevi dichiarazioni in lingua portoghese Album of drawings illustrating the uses and customs of the people of Asia and Africa with brief descriptions in Portuguese language A war elephant from the Codice Casanatense Contents 1 Contents and origin 2 Gallery 2 1 Sub Saharan Africa 2 1 1 Abyssinia 2 1 2 Nubia 2 1 3 Cafreria 2 2 West Asia 2 2 1 Arabia 2 2 2 Mesopotamia 2 2 3 Hormuz 2 2 4 Persia and Afghanistan 2 3 South Asia 2 3 1 Sindh 2 3 2 Gujarat 2 3 3 Northern and Northeastern India 2 3 4 Goa and the Kanara Coast 2 3 5 Malabar Coast 2 3 6 Coromandel Coast 2 3 7 Ceylon 2 3 8 Maldives 2 4 Southeast Asia 2 4 1 Burma 2 4 2 Malacca 2 4 3 Indonesia 2 5 East Asia 2 5 1 China 3 Miscellaneous 3 1 Hindu rituals 3 2 The Portuguese in Asia 3 3 Fauna and flora 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksContents and origin editThe codex consists of seventy six watercolor illustrations one of which is a later addition Most come with a short description and include illustrations of people from east Africa Arabia Persia Afghanistan India Ceylon Malaysia China and the Moluccas as well as some insights into fauna flora and certain traditions such as the Hindu religion previously unknown in Europe The creator has not been identified and many hypotheses have proven inconclusive 1 2 3 Several of its inscriptions provide information as to the date it was made namely the allusion to the siege of Diu in 1538 but the absence of any mention of the Japanese whom the Portuguese contacted in 1541 1543 2 It is therefore possible it was made circa 1540 4 Its earliest recorded owner was the novice Joao da Costa of the College of St Paul of Goa who in 1627 sent it to Lisbon according to information inscribed within the codex Once in Europe it was acquired by Cardinal Girolamo Casanata who on his death in 1700 bequeathed it along with his private collection to the Dominican Order for the creation of a new library where it is now kept 5 It was first brought to public attention by the scholar Georg Schurhammer who published several pictures in the Portuguese historical magazine Garcia da Horta in the 1950s 6 The Codice Casanatense provides an extremely rare insight into the culture of the peoples in 16th century Africa and Asia and is especially valuable for the study of popular arms and garments of the era Gallery editSub Saharan Africa edit Abyssinia edit nbsp Abyssinian warrior and his wifeNubia edit nbsp NubiansCafreria edit nbsp Inhabitants of the headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula South Africa named Cabo da Boa Esperanca and its inhabitants dubbed Cafres by the PortugueseWest Asia edit Arabia edit nbsp Bathing scene of the women of Muscat nbsp Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Fartakh in the east Arabian coast and Socotra called Fartaques by the Portuguese nbsp Arabian merchants from the Hejaz nbsp Farmers from southeastern Arabia possibly Yemen called Boduis by the Portuguese nbsp Sailors from Arabia probably fishermen nbsp Sailors from Arabia repetitionMesopotamia edit nbsp Rumes Turks that inhabit the Red Sea and Basra nbsp Marsh ArabsHormuz edit nbsp Persian couple from Hormuz nbsp A dinner of Portuguese in Hormuz the climate was hot enough that people purposely flooded their homesPersia and Afghanistan edit nbsp A couple from Shiraz nbsp A couple from Khorassan nbsp Turkmens from Persia nbsp Nautaques Baloch fishermen who also attacked trade shipsSouth Asia edit Sindh edit nbsp SindhisGujarat edit See also Gujarat Sultanate nbsp King of Cambay the Sultan of Gujarat nbsp Rajputs who inhabit the backwoods of Cambay nbsp Gujarati couple of a lascarin foot soldier and his wife nbsp Money changer of Gujarat nbsp Merchants of Gujarat nbsp Water tank in Gujarat nbsp Water sellers of Gujarat nbsp Gujarati women nbsp Farmers and land workers of Gujarat nbsp Carriage of GujaratNorthern and Northeastern India edit nbsp Horsemen from Patna nbsp Horsewomen from Patna nbsp BengalisGoa and the Kanara Coast edit nbsp Goan footsoldier who were known to use longbows nbsp Goan blacksmiths nbsp Clothes washers called mainatos by the Portuguese nbsp Wheat sellers in Goa nbsp Goan farmers nbsp A Brahmin goldsmith from Goa nbsp Hindu Kanarese called gentiles by the PortugueseMalabar Coast edit nbsp Nayars or Nairs a Hindu warrior caste of the Malabar Coast nbsp Descendants of Muslim men married to Indian women called Naitas Navayats by the Portuguese nbsp Malabarese Christians of Saint Thomas nbsp Malabarese Muslims Mappila nbsp Malabarese JewsCoromandel Coast edit nbsp Badagas who inhabited the southeastern coast of India nbsp People from Orissa in the eastern coast of IndiaCeylon edit nbsp Women of Sri Lanka nbsp Chingalas warriors of Sri Lanka where the cinnamon is born Maldives edit nbsp MaldiviansSoutheast Asia edit Burma edit nbsp People from the Kingdom of BagoMalacca edit nbsp Malay gentiles of the Kingdom of MalaccaIndonesia edit nbsp Acehnese people nbsp Javanese people nbsp People from Halmahera also known as Gilolo nbsp Moluccans nbsp BandaneseEast Asia edit China edit nbsp ChineseMiscellaneous editHindu rituals edit nbsp Illustration of the three main deities of Hinduism nbsp Hindu marriage left nbsp Hindu marriage center nbsp Hindu marriage right nbsp Hindu ritual of hook swinging nbsp Hindu self sacrifice nbsp Hindu self sacrifice nbsp Hindu pilgrims and roving holy men nbsp Burial of a living widow nbsp Hindu temple car crushing a worshiperThe Portuguese in Asia edit nbsp A Portuguese nobleman with his retinue in India nbsp Single Christian women of India wearing European fashion and a Portuguese nobleman presumably proposing marriage nbsp Portuguese noblewoman on a palanquinFauna and flora edit nbsp Illustration of a Naja snake and a mysterious two headed snakeSee also editMiniature illuminated manuscript Boxer Codex Tipos del Pais Ottoman miniature Persian miniature Mughal paintingNotes edit Matos 1985 p 23 a b Losty Jeremiah Codex Casanatense 1889 an Indo Portuguese 16th century album in a Roman library Retrieved 26 January 2018 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Thomas David Chesworth John A 17 December 2014 Christian Muslim Relations A Bibliographical History Volume 6 Western Europe 1500 1600 BRILL ISBN 9789004281110 Retrieved 26 January 2018 via Google Books Matos 1985 p 28 Matos 1985 p 29 Matos 1985 p 19 References editDe Matos Luis 1985 Imagens do Oriente no seculo XVI Reproducao do Codice portugues da Biblioteca Casanatense Lisbon Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda External links editOfficial Webpage of the Biblioteca Casanatense Portuguese Codice Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Codice Casanatense amp oldid 1188478399, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
