Memory of the World; 2012 - unesdoc - Unesco

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Collection of Arabic
manuscripts and books
Inscribed 2003
What is it
More than 800 books and manuscripts, with some
material over 300 years old, providing insight on various
aspects of Islam, Arabic literature and rhetoric and the
history of Zanzibar and Eastern Africa.
Why was it inscribed
This collection includes exceptional and invaluable
documents in Arabic and Swahili for the study of the
social and cultural heritage of Zanzibar and the Eastern
African region.
Where is it
Zanzibar National Archives, Zanzibar, Tanzania
In the 19th century Zanzibar was an important commercial
empire and the centre of administration for the whole
of East Africa. It also developed as a seat of learning and
a centre of Swahili culture, a fountainhead of Swahili
language and Islam, from which the language and the
religion were disseminated over a vast region of middle
of Africa.
In this context, records were created by institutions and
individuals over a period of many years. Most of these have
been systematically collected and preserved in the Zanzibar
National Archives. The Archives are therefore the oldest
and richest in the East African region and include Arabic
manuscripts that cover not only the history of Zanzibar
but also the neighbouring countries. There are two main
categories of Arabic manuscripts: those which are purely
religious and those which are secular in orientation.
There is also an unpublished list of the sultans’ Arabic
correspondence as well as Arabic correspondence from
the German Records collection in the Tanzania National
Archives in Dar es Salaam.
The Arabic manuscripts are of great interest to those who
study the various aspects of Islam, culture and history in
eastern Africa. There are manuscripts on Islamic sharia and
theology, the interpretation of the Koran and the Prophet
Mohammad’s Hadiths, Arabic literature, language and
grammar, medicine and diseases (including treatments,
local medicines and witchcraft), astronomy, navigation,
266 Collection of Arabic manuscripts and books
Sufism, slavery, divination, diaries, memoirs and local
Arabic publications.
The collection is a unique source depicting the rich
cultural heritage of Swahili civilization (from Mozambique
to Mogadishu) based on interaction between African and
Indian Ocean peoples with complex and overlapping
economic, social and cultural networks. There are also
a number of rare early editions of printed books from
Zanzibar and other presses.
As literary and cultural documents, the manuscripts
play a significant role in the study of the social and
cultural heritage of Zanzibar and the region. In
addition, the manuscripts include good examples
of the art of calligraphy and artistic embellishment,
drawing attention to the existence of a class of artistic
calligraphers and copyists.
The Arab influence in Zanzibar is made manifest in
this detail of a carved door in Stone Town, Zanzibar. �