If you are new to the Cadbury Research Library, this page offers suggestions for the best search options and catalogues to use.
How can I find items in the Mingana Collection?
It is not possible to search all of the Mingana Collection online, although this is something we are working to achieve. Currently there are several methods for finding out about the contents of the collection.
Printed catalogues
Four printed catalogues exist which cover most of the Mingana Collection:
- Alphonse Mingana, Catalogue of the Mingana Collection of Manuscripts, I-III (Cambridge: Heffer, 1933-1939). [vol.I Syriac; vols II-III Christian Arabic and Syriac].
- Derek Hopwood, Catalogue of the Mingana Collection of Manuscripts, IV (revised edition, Zug: IDC, 1985). [Islamic Arabic].
These catalogues are available for consultation in the Cadbury Research Library, and will be found in other major academic libraries. Historic printed copies may be found online through book dealers. Gorgias Press has reprinted the first three volumes and sells these through their website.
In 1997 Professor Lucy-Anne Hunt published a survey of selected illustrated manuscripts within the collection:
- L-A Hunt, 1997, ‘The Mingana and Related Collections. A Survey of Illustrated Arabic, Greek, Eastern Christian, Persian and Turkish Manuscripts in the Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham’.
Cadbury Research Library archive catalogue
FIHRIST union catalogue
Fihrist is a searchable union catalogue of manuscripts from the Islamicate World. There is a section dedicated to the Islamic manuscripts from the Mingana Collection and we continue to add to this.
Digitized manuscripts
Over 10000 images from seventy one manuscripts, including a full set of images of the Birmingham Qur’an manuscript (Islamic Arabic 1572a), are available to browse online.