In 1609 Joseph Scaliger bequeathed ‘all my books in foreign tongues’ to the library of Leiden University. The collection was kept in the Arca Scaligerana, an ornamental cupboard in the library. This publication provides a complete overview of all Scaliger' printed books in oriental languages for the first time. How and why did Scaliger collected these rare books? Answers can be found in Scaliger's extensive network, the develoment of oriental scholarship, the booktrade and the use of libraries.

Includes the catalogue J.J. Scaliger’s Oriental Printed Books: A Bibliographic Survey

Translated by: Arthur der Weduwen