Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page

The leaf contains a passage from the Tuti‑nama, a collection of moral and didactic stories traditionally illustrated with animal characters, particularly a parrot narrator. While the specific excerpt is not identified here, the work generally conveys ethical lessons through allegorical tales, reflecting the didactic literary culture of Safavid Iran.

The text is rendered in a flowing Persian calligraphic hand, likely using a reed pen and iron‑gall ink, typical of manuscript production in the mid‑16th century. The paper, a beige‑toned rag sheet, provides a smooth surface for the ink, and selective highlighting in a different color suggests the use of a second pigment to draw attention to key terms.

Created around 1560, the page remained part of a larger codex of the Tuti‑nama before entering the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The museum acquired the fragment through purchase or donation, though the precise acquisition details are not disclosed in the available record.

During the Safavid period, illustrated manuscripts such as the Tuti‑nama were produced for both courtly and private audiences, serving educational and entertainment purposes. Although this leaf lacks illustrations, its textual presentation aligns with the era's emphasis on literary refinement and the transmission of moral instruction through elegant calligraphy.