Digitized Manuscripts: Faceted Search

About This Table

This table searches all collections of Syriac and Garshuni manuscripts that are freely available online by key terms. Click any of the categorized menu items to narrow down your search. If you would like to sort the manuscripts by shelf-mark or date, or search by general keyword, see our other table here, which includes all the same manuscript data.

*The Approximate Date column is derived from the best available information for the manuscript. This is not asserted as a scholarly position on the dating of the manuscript. Instead, it is merely used here for the convenience of being able to sort all manuscripts by numerical date. The user should keep in mind that there may be considerable debate over the precise dating of the manuscript and should consult the manuscript repository and relevant scholarly literature for details.

Manuscript Name / Shelf Mark / Project Number Approximate Date Language The main body text Link to Digitized Manuscript
Vat. sir. 123 700 CE Syriac

​See entry in Assemani

  • Binding
  • f. 1r-115v Gregory of Cyprus, Sermons
  • f. 115v-172v John the Solitary, Sermons
  • f. 172v-185r Abraham of Nathpar, Sermons
  • f. 185r-198v Selections from the Liber Graduum
  • f. 198v-205r Dionysius the Areopagite, Epistle to Timothy on the Martyrs Peter and Paul
  • f. 205r-207v John the Solitary, Sayings
  • f. 207v-241v Apothegmata Patrum
  • f. 241v-246r St. Anthony, Letters to the Brothers
  • f. 246r-255r Teachings of the Egyptian Fathers
  • f. 255r-256v Questions and Answers
  • f. 256v-294v History of the Egyptian Fathers
  • f. 295r-303v John the Solitary, Sermons
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Mingana Syriac 86 1,300 CE Syriac

See catalog entry for Mingana 86

  • f. 4r-90v Mystic treatises (Mingana believes them to be Isaac or Ninevah. Many headings are missing)
  • f. 90v-97v St. Macarius of Alexandria, A Prayer
  • f. 97v-109r Philoxenus of Mabbug, A Prayer
  • f. 109-112r A treatise of the holy and godly elder [John of Dalyatha or John Saba?] (ܡܡܠܠܐ ܕܣܒܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܘܐܠܗܝܐ) (called "18th mimra" in the margin)
  • f. 112r-115v Isaac of Ninevah, Treatise consisting mostly of prayers
  • f. 115v-116v Palladius, A treatise on the virtues without which no man can make any progress
  • f. 116v-117r The virtues which an old monk possessed
  • f. 117r-119v A treatise on mysticism
  • f. 119v-138v Mark the Monk, A long treatise on mysticism, often consisting of good sayings
  • f. 138v-139v Ephrem Syrus, A treatise (ܡܡܠܠܐ) in prose
  • f. 139v-154v Isaac of Ninevah, A long mystical treatise
  • f. 154-166 A treatise on mysticism attributed to the holy and godly elder [John of Dalyatha or John Saba?] (ܡܡܠܠܐ ܕܣܒܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ ܘܐܠܗܝܐ)
  • f. 166v-178v Gregory the Monk [Gregory of Cyprus], A treatise on spirituality for monks
  • f. 179r-179v Isaac of Ninevah, A short discourse on spirituality
  • f. 179v-184v Isaac of Ninevah, A short discourse on spirituality, on night vigils
  • f. 184v-190v Evagrius, A discourse on mysticism
  • f. 190 St. Ephrem, A short mimra on mysticism
  • f. 190v-198r John Saba, A treatise on mysticism
  • f. 198r-198v John Naqar (ܝܘܚܢܢ ܢܩܪ), A short treatise on mysticism
  • f. 198v-200v John Naqar (ܝܘܚܢܢ ܢܩܪ), A short treatise on mysticism
  • f. 201r-207v Evagrius, Exhortations and good advice on mysticism
  • f. 207v-213v Evagrius, A treatise on the definition of vices and virtues 
  • f. 213v-232v Evagrius, A long treatise on mysticism (f. 229r-232v contain 97 evangelical sayings on perfection)
  • f. 233r-263v John the Seer (Hazzaya) or possibly John of Lycopolis, A long discourse on mysticism
  • f. 264r-274v The Monk Isaiah (Esha'ya) of Scete, A mystical treatise
Beinecke Syriac MS 8 1,225 CE Syriac

See catalog entry

  • f. 1r Pauline Epistles (fragment)
  • f. 1v-2v Questions by Queen Sheba to King Solomon
  • f. 3ra-4va Philoxenus of Mabbug, Letter to Patrikios of Edessa
  • f. 4vb Sayings, 2 by ? (Philoxenus?), 4 by Evagrius, 1 by Abba Isaiah
  • f. 4vb-7vb Philoxenus of Mabbug, Confessions of Faith
  • f. 7vb-9ra John of Lycopolis (or of Amapea), also the solitary, or "seer, and prophet", The Holy Commandments of the Gospel
  • f. 9ra-29va Commandments (from the gospels, the Pauline and Catholic Epistles, and the prophets
  • f. 29va-end anonymous, about the Sacraments
Sinai Syr. 16 600 CE Syriac

See entry in Lewis

  • ff. 1-86 Lives of the Egyptian Fathers
  • ff. 87-93 Life of the Holy Nilus the Anchorite
  • ff. 93-105 The Apology of Aristides on behalf of the Christians
  • ff. 105-112 A discourse of Plutarch on the advantage to be derived from one's enemies
  • ff. 112-121 A discourse of Pythagoras
  • ff. 121-126 A discourse of Plutarch about asceticism
  • ff. 126-132 A discourse of Plutarch about anger
  • ff. 132-140 A discourse of Lucian that we should not readily believe slander against our friends
  • ff. 140-143 Discourse of a Philosopher about the Soul
  • ff. 151-214 Mar John the Anchorite, Commentary on Ecclesiastes
  • ff. 214 ad finem; John Chrysostom, Commentaries on Matthew
Vat. sir. 93 823 CE Syriac

Catalog entries in Assemani and CPART

  • Binding
  • ff. 1v-19v John of Apamea, on the Passions of the Soul
  • ff. 19v-25r John of Apamea, On proper faith in the Divine dispensation fo Christ
  • ff. 25r-28v John of Apamea, On the Fear of God
  • ff. 29r-69v John of Apamea, On Continence of Body and of Soul
  • ff. 69v-73v Ephrem, Two Qole on the Deceased
  • ff. 74r-75v John of Apamea, An exhortation to virtue
  • ff. 75v-77r John of Apamea, How One Might Acquire Patient Endurance
  • ff. 77r-107v Ephrem, Eighteen Admonitory Madrashe
  • ff. 108r-114r Isaac, On the Perfection of the Brethren
  • ff. 114r-118v Isaac, On Humility
  • ff. 119r-127r John of Apamea, On the Mystery of the Dispensation of our Lord
  • ff. 127r-128v John of Apamea, On Purity of Mind
  • ff. 129r-137r John of Apamea, An Epistle on the Incomprehensibility of God
  • ff. 137r-140r John of Apamea, On the Causes of Revelations and of Visions
  • ff. 140r-144r John of Apamea, Epistle of Leontius on Spiritual Communication
  • ff. 144r-145r Severus bar Mashke, on Julian the Patriarch
  • ff. 145r-162v John of Apamea, Principle Teachings
  • ff. 163r-169r Ephrem, An Admonition (incipit illegible)
  • ff. 169r-183r Ephrem, Eleven Madrashe and Memre on the Deceased
  • ff.183v Evagrius, On the Eight Evil thoughts
  • ff. 183v-194v Balai, three Madrashe on the contempt of the world
  • ff. 195r-204v Ephrem, Nine madrashe on the deceased 
  • Binding