Page:The chronology of ancient nations (IA chronologyofanci00biru).djvu/15

tific and literary life east of Bagdad as it developed itself during the first three centuries of Abbaside rule, under the protection of the imperial governors and the later independent princes, e.g. the House of Sâmân.

It is to be hoped that Central Asia and Afghanistan, when once in the grasp of European influence, will yield us rich collections of valuable literary monuments. Hitherto manuscripts coming from those countries are seldom met with in the great libraries of Europe.

As for the written material which the author had at his disposal, he quotes many a book of which I elsewhere can scarcely find a trace. All the books, e.g. on Persian and Zoroastrian history and traditions, composed in early times, not only by Zoroastrians but also by Muslims, converts from the Zoroastrian creed, are altogether unknown in Europe; and it seems very probable that the bigoted people of later times have spared very little of this kind of literature, which to them had the intolerable smell of filthy idolatry.

As regards Persian history, Albîrûnî had an excellent predecessor in Alisfahânî, whom he follows frequently, and whom he was not able to surpass in many points.

From oral information Albîrûnî seems to have learned all he knows of the chronology and calendar of the Zoroastrian populations of Persia, of his native country, and of Sogdiana (or Bukhârâ). In his time the majority of the country-people still adhered to Ahuramazda, and in most towns there must still have been Zoroastrian communities, so that Albîrûnî did not lack the opportunity for studying the manners and institutes of the then existing followers of Zoroaster. Unfortunately, the Zoroastrian creed had lost its clerical and political unity and constitution. The people practised their customs as they had seen