Gabigaj: A Persian Herb for Protecting Manuscripts against Fungies and Insects from Safavid Era (1501-1722AD)

Document Type : Short Communication

Authors

1 MSc., Student Scientific Research Center (SSRC), Iranian Society for the History of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 MSc., Department of History of History of Medicine, School of Persian Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3 MSc., Institute for Islamic and Complementary Medicine, School of Traditional Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

4 PharmD, PhD, Department of History of History of Medicine, School of Persian Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Keeping old documents from damage is of considerable points in protecting national resources. Recently, some studies performed to find out ways of protecting manuscripts from defecting of some biologic or chemical factors. Searching through the Iranian manuscripts remain from 15th century (AD) until about the second decade of 17th century (AD), which was Contemporary with the rule of Safavid government, demonstrate a word written frequently by the writer in several parts of documents and in different forms, as “Gabigaj”, which is the name of a Persian plant belonging to Ranunculaceae family.
Historical studies show ta prevalence of magic in different aspects of life through Safavid era in Iran, especially in the case of the magic usage of some plants. In this study we discuss about the magic usage of the name of the plant of “Gabigaj” in Safavid era, to protect manuscripts against fungies and insects.

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