The rare, lavishly produced and often groundbreaking examples of scientific, philosophical and literary manuscripts presented here are testament to the intellectual vitality of the Middle East. The catalogue contains some of the earliest known manuscript copies of great sufi poets – including Mowlana Jalal al-Din Rumi and Sa’di, known for their insights into human nature – and an archive of early texts written on papyrus and paper, from the 9th to the 13th century, illuminating daily life in Egypt.