The Sacromonte Parchment and Lead Books. Critical Edition of the Arabic Texts and Analysis of the Religious Ideas Presentation of a Dutch research project, Granada, 19 March 2019,19.00-21.00 hours : with images of the original Lead Books and the Parchment

The Archive of the Sacromonte Abbey in Granada preserves a historical treasure of great value that was the object of the present lecture by two Dutch scholars at the Palace of the Archbishop in Granada, on Tuesday March 19, at 19.00 hours. The treasure we are speaking of consists of Arabic texts on a sheet of parchment and on numerous small tablets of lead, which were discovered in Granada, at the end of the 16th century, in the tower of the old Friday Mosque and in caves of the “Valparaíso” hill, which henceforth became called “Sacromonte”. These Arabic texts are among the very last literary productions of the Granadan Moriscos, who were of Andalusi Muslim origin and who continued to live in Spain, often attached to their ancient Islamic faith in secret. With the permission of the Archbishop of Granada, the Dutch scholars, who are specialized in the History of Religions in general, and especially in the history of Islam, including the religious history of Muslims living in as minorities in Christian Spain, are preparing a study, edition and translation of these sources, which have been the object of heated discussions in the 17th century and which have regained international academic interest in the present time.
Professors Van Koningsveld (Emeritus Professor of Islamic Studies at Leiden University) and Wiegers (Professor of Comparative Religious Studies at the University of Amsterdam), present herewith a report of their research project and shed new light on the religious messages of these enigmatic texts.