The Codex Cumanicus, which is presently housed in the
Library of St. Mark, in Venice, Cod. Mar. Lat. DXLIX, is not one
but several unrelated (except in the broadest sense) works which
were ultimately combined under one cover. The Codex may be
divided into two distinct and independent parts : I) a practical
handbook of the Cuman language with glossaries in Italo-Latin,
Persian and Cuman II) a mixed collection of religious texts,
linguistic data and folkloric materials (the Cuman Riddles),
stemming from a number of hands, with translations into Latin and
a dialect of Eastern Middle High German
Much of the content is in Qipchak dialects and fascinating. It is believed to be from the late 13th century. This is but one text in one foreign library. We wonder how much history of the Tatar people, the Bolghar people, of Kipchaks may be found in other libraries of the world. The WWW is helpful in tying up loose ends but there is still much digitizing and documenting left to do!
codex cumanicus notes here
library of St. Marks - Venice
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