I posted this way back on my Instagram account but thought it would be of interest here: an #Arabic #inscription on Sé Velha de Coimbra (Old Cathedral of #Coimbra, #Portugal). (Photo of inscription taken by me). 1/7 
It reads كتبت وقد ابقيته لشكايتي ستفنا يدي يوما ويبقا كبر ('I wrote this as a permanent record of my suffering; my hand will perish one day, but greatness will remain'). This inscription and others from Portugal were published by A.R. Nykl (jstor.org/stable/4515632…). 2/7
This poetic lament is common to #scribal traditions in #manuscripts. Typically, the scribe reflects on the fleeting nature of this life and the enduring nature of the written word (cf. Verba volant, scripta manent!). Here are some examples (info in captions): 3/7
I'm not sure how common this topos is in material culture outside of #manuscripts, so would be interested to hear from colleagues. A quick search on Thesaurus d'Epigraphie Islamique gave me the Coimbra inscription! 4/7
Nykl speculates that the mason was a #Mozarab (Arabic-speaking/Arabised Christian from al-Andalus), since the name بيرس (Pires/Peres?) appears elsewhere on the building. Muslim rule in Coimbra was intermittent between 8th & 12th ce., but Arabic influence continued well after. 5/7
Coimbra is a truly wonderful city and home to Portugal's oldest university (est. 1290). It attracts far fewer visitors than places like Lisbon & Porto, but is definitely worth visiting, especially if you're a #medievalist! 7/7
