Praise for Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna (text, recto and verso), folio from a manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi

The first narrative in the Shahnama, the story of Gayumars represents the beginning of civilization. Gayumars, the figure seated on a tiger skin, was anointed the first shah when the sun shed its luster on him. As depicted in this painting, his reign was a golden age, with the sun smiling down on the mountaintop kingdom. Evil soon appeared in the form of the demon Ahriman and his wolf-like son (upper left), enemies of everything in the world that was fine and noble.