PREVIOUS

NEXT

NEW SEARCH

Selections of Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman Calligraphy

Qur'anic verses

AUTHOR/CREATOR
Calligrapher: unknown

CREATED/PUBLISHED
9th century

NOTES
Dimensions of Written Surface: 12.3 (w) x 7.7 (h) cm

Script: Kufi

This calligraphic fragment includes verses 13-18 of the 81st chapter of the Qur'an entitled al-Takwir (The Folding Up). The text continues with verses 18-21 on the fragment's verso (1-87-154.82b V). This surah provides a series of graphic images on the Day of Judgment, when the world shatters and souls are weighed:

And when the Garden is brought near, / Then each soul will know what it has done. (81:13-14).

The script's style is close to the Kufi D.I. category of the 9th century (Déroche 1992: 70, cat. no. 22). Executed in six lines, the text is written in black ink, outlined with gold cloud bands, and provided with a multicolored frame. Although there are no diacritical marks, vocalization is indicated by red dots. The verse marker on the last line of the recto consists of a gold rosette with the term khamsah (five) inscribed in its center. In the lower right corner, a hole has eaten through a letter.

SUBJECT
Arabic calligraphy
Qur'anic verses
Islamic calligraphy
Arabic script calligraphy
Illuminated Islamic manuscripts
Islamic manuscripts
Kufi

MEDIUM
15.6 (w) x 10.2 (h) cm

CALL NUMBER
1-87-154.82b

REPOSITORY
Library of Congress, African and Middle Eastern Division, Washington, D.C. 20540

DIGITAL ID
ascs 190
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.amed/ascs.190

PREVIOUS

NEXT

NEW SEARCH