A copy of the miniature depicting the giraffe presented to Amir Temur by the Sultan of Egypt will be placed in the Center of Islamic Civilization

The exhibition of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan is soon expected to be enriched with another rare work. A two-page composition from the famous Zafarnama manuscript, created in Shiraz in 1436 and now preserved in various collections, was specially copied for Amir Temur’s grandson, the Timurid prince Ibrahim Sultan.

One of the miniatures in the manuscript depicts the reception of envoys. This event is also described in the memoirs of the Spanish envoy Ruy González de Clavijo, who came from the court of the King of Castile. According to his account, in early June 1404, Temur received the envoys of the Sultan of Egypt in a city in northwestern Iran.

The envoys brought the ruler valuable gifts, including six robes and a rare animal for that time — a giraffe. Although Clavijo had described the ceremonies at Temur’s court with great admiration on many occasions, it was the giraffe that caught his special attention. Having never seen such a creature before, he gave a detailed description of it, calling it “truly remarkable”.

This work is significant not only for its artistic mastery but also as a witness to medieval international diplomacy, trade routes, and cultural connections.