The Russian national library presents a virtual exhibition "Ancient Korany from collection J.-J. Marseilles"

The collection of Marseilles contains about 2000 parchment. 130 stock-keeping unit are formed from them. All of them had bought by Marseilles in a mosque ' Amr ibnal-‘As in Old Cairo (Fustate) where "were stored" buried in the ground. At an exhibition some fragments of these ancient manuscripts are in showroom. Jean-Joseph Marsel (1776-1854) was appointed executive of the printing house which have departed together with armies of Napoleon in Egypt, and had stayed in Alexandria and Cairo since 1798 till 1801. Except employment by the direct responsibilities –the publication of newspapers and brochures for the French army and leaflets for Egyptians, he improved knowledge of the Arabian language and collected antiquities. After returning to Paris Marseilles headed Republican printing-office, and in 12 years with Napoleon's falling at the age of 38th years he was dismissed from civil service, but began to publish actively his works. After death of Marseilles its library was sold by successors. Except books there wereabout east 3000 manuscripts, but now no more than hundreds can be revealed in different libraries of Paris, Munich, Geneva. Only collection fragments of Korans VIII-XI of the centuries, being in the Russian national library.