Mathematical Treasure: Euclid's Elements Printed in Arabic

The first printed Arabic version of Euclid’s Elements was in 1594 by the Medicean Press in Rome. It was based on an earlier 1260 manuscript by Nasīr al-dīn al-Tūsī, a well-known and influential Persian mathematician and astronomer. The copy at the Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology is interesting since it was never bound. It is possible for readers to see what a book purchased in the 16th century directly from the publisher would have looked with its folded, unstitched, and uncut sheets.

For more on al-Tusi’s commentary of Euclid’s Elements, visit “Nasir al-din al-Tusi's Commentary on Euclid's Elements” by Frank J. Swetz and Victor J. Katz in Convergence.

The call number for this work is QA31.E86 1594. A complete digital scan is available in the Linda Hall Library Digital Collections.

Images in this article were taken by the author at the Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology and are used with permission. The Linda Hall Library makes available all existing digital images from its collection that are in the public domain to be used for any purpose under the terms of a Creative Commons License CC by 4.0. The Library’s preferred credit line for all use is: “Courtesy of The Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology.”

References

Swetz, Frank J., and Victor J. Katz. "Mathematical Treasures - Nasir al-din al-Tusi's Commentary on Euclid's Elements." Convergence (January 2011). http://www.maa.org/press/periodicals/convergence/mathematical-treasures-nasir-al-din-al-tusis-commentary-on-euclids-elements.

O'Connor, J. J., and E. R. Robertson. “Nasir al-Din al-Tusi.” MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive. https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Al-Tusi_Nasir/.

“Medici Oriental Press.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medici_Oriental_Press.

Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. “Al-Ṭūsī, Muḥammad Ibn Muḥammad Ibn Al-Ḥasan Usually Known as Naṣir Al-Dīn.” In Dictionary of Scientific Biography, edited by C. C. Gillespie, xiii:508–513. New York: Scribner, 1972.

Index to Mathematical Treasures