Apocrypha Arabica

A transcription, first published in 1901, of apocryphal stories in Arabic from the monastic library of St Catherine, Mount Sinai.

The biblical scholar Margaret Gibson (1843–1920) was credited with the discovery of a number of significant ancient manuscripts. This volume, the transcription of an Arabic manuscript from the monastic library of St Catherine on Mount Sinai, first published in 1901,includes the stories of Aphikia and Cyprian and Justa.The twin sisters Agnes Lewis (1843–1926) and Margaret Gibson (1843–1920) were pioneering biblical scholars who became experts in a number of ancient languages. Travelling widely in the Middle East, they made several significant discoveries, including one of the earliest manuscripts of the Four Gospels in Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic, the language probably spoken by Jesus himself. Their chief discoveries were made in the Monastery of St Catherine on Mount Sinai. This text is a transcription and translation of an Arabic Christian manuscript discovered by Margaret Gibson in 1893 and first published in 1901. The text includes 'The Book of the Rolls', a retelling of early Biblical events; stories of Aphikia, a virtuous woman from the time of King Solomon; and the tale of Cyprian and Justa (recounted in Arabic and Greek). A useful resource for linguists and for scholars in the history of Arabic Christianity.