You are here

Mathematical Treasure: al-Tusi’s Commentary on Euclid’s Elements

Author(s): 
Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University)

A 1485 copy of Nasīr al-dīn al-Ṭūsī’s (1201–1274) Tadhkirah uṣūl handasah al-ḥisāb li-Uqlīdis, a commentary on Euclid’s Elements, is filled with notes and diagrams in red and black ink. Many of these were made by later readers. The archivist’s note bound with the manuscript provides further information:

Archivist's note on a 1485 manuscript copy of al-Tusi's commentary on Euclid.

Some sample folios:

Page from 1485 manuscript copy of al-Tusi's commentary on Euclid.

Page from 1485 manuscript copy of al-Tusi's commentary on Euclid.

Page from 1485 manuscript copy of al-Tusi's commentary on Euclid.

A video introduction shows the book as a whole object:

These images from LJS 286 are presented courtesy of the Schoenberg Manuscript Collection within the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at the University of Pennsylvania. The full volume may be viewed here. A similar manuscript owned by Columbia University is available in Mathematical Treasures.

Index to Mathematical Treasures

Frank J. Swetz (The Pennsylvania State University), "Mathematical Treasure: al-Tusi’s Commentary on Euclid’s Elements," Convergence (April 2024)