In pictures: Digitising the golden age of Arab culture

Or.5323, folio 11v A Description of the Fixed Stars, written by the astronomer Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi. This copy was made in the 14th century. The opening shows the constellation Draco in the form of a pair of sea serpents. Though it had pre-Islamic and Indian origins, Islamic astronomy received its impetus from translations into Arabic of Greek astronomical works. Foremost among these was the Almagest of the Alexandrian astronomer Ptolemy (ca.90-168 CE) upon which al-Sufi partly based this catalogue of the constellations. Each constellation is shown as seen in the sky and as represented on a celestial globe. Courtesy The British Library Board for focus story by jonathan gornall

Work on bringing this buried treasure to the surface began last July. Courtesy The British Library Board

It will provide a unique insight into Middle Eastern history. Courtesy The British Library Board

A massive project to scan half a million historic manuscripts that date from the golden age of Arabic culture until the 20th century has begun. Courtesy The British Library Board

Tens of thousands of priceless documents relating to the history of the Gulf and its peoples will soon be available to the entire world at the click of a mouse. Courtesy The British Library Board

The reality, however, is that the vast majority will have lain undisturbed and unstudied ever since they ceased to be part of the working documents of the East India Company and the British government’s India Office. Courtesy The British Library Board

“It will be free for use under creative commons. We want people to be able to enjoy it and use it in research settings, teaching and classrooms, share with their friends on Facebook," says Oliver H Urquhart Irvine, the former head of the British Library???

Once online, much of the material will be accompanied by scholarly articles, in Arabic and English, setting the contents in historical context. Courtesy The British Library Board