Near Eastern, Islamic, Abbasid Period, ca. 9th to 10th century CE. A lovely vellum manuscript page from an Islamic religious text, likely the Qur'an, featuring ten lines of Kufic text handwritten on each side. The calligraphy is penned in black and punctuated with crimson-hued ink, adding a hint of vibrancy to the text, as well as the beige-hued vellum. Considered the beginning of manuscript illumination and decoration, these punctuation marks were first added to Kufic Qurans in the 9th and 10th centuries to aid in the pronunciation and recitation of the text; thus, increasing its visual and auditory aesthetic. Reciting the Qur'an correctly is a highly regarded art in the Islamic faith and is called "tajwid", an Arabic term that literally translates to "beautification." Size: 7.25" W x 9.5" H (18.4 cm x 24.1 cm)

Characterized by its angularity, Kufic script became the standard script for Qur'anic production between the 8th and 10th centuries. The letters that are extended horizontally are part of a practice known as "mashq," which is used to create an aesthetic rhythm and harmony throughout the text. While this technique does affect the legibility of the text, manuscripts like this example were typically used as guides by reciters who had memorized the Qu'ran.

Similar examples of 9th century folios with kufic script can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art under accession numbers 65.152.2 and 2004.87, the Cleveland Museum of Art under accession number 1933.493.a and b, the Museum of Anthropology at University of British Columbia under object number 2988/1, and the British Library under shelfmark 1397.

Provenance: private Washington, USA, collection, acquired before 2000

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#163045

From larger codex. Expected staining and light wrinkling to vellum with some translucent areas and smudging to ink. A row of petite indentations along one side from binding. Otherwise, excellent with nice remaining pigments.