The construction of a nāqūs in an apocryphal passage in the Kitāb al-Tāʼrīḫ al-maǧmūʽ by Saʽīd ibn Baṭrīq and its possible apocryphal ori-gin

Abstract

In this paper we analyse a passage of the Kitāb al-Tāʼrīḫ by Saʽīd ibn Baṭrīq (d. 940). The passage selected from this work is relevant, due to it describes how Noah have shaping a musical instrument, specifically an nāqūs or simantron. To dealing with this issue, on the one hand, we analyse this text on the context of the Apocryphal literature. On the other hand, we make a study of this narration revealing its interesting similarity to the construction of Noah’s ark regarding Ibn Baṭrīq’s description. Moreover, we approach the symbology of this musical instrument as an key issue in the Diluvian cycle.