Object Details
Culture
Near Eastern
Date
9th or 10th century
Medium
Kufic script: ink, color, and gold on vellum
Dimensions
Sheet: 9 × 11 1/2 inches (22.9 × 29.2 cm)
Mat: 14 × 18 inches (35.6 × 45.7 cm)
Credit Line
George and Mary Rockwell Collection
Object
Number
2000.029.001
The Qur’an, or “recitation,” is the word of God (Allah) revealed to the prophet Muhammad. Earl(…)
The Qur’an, or “recitation,” is the word of God (Allah) revealed to the prophet Muhammad. Early Qur’ans were transcribed in Kufic script arranged in a horizontal format on vellum (parchment). The scribe used a reed pen for the rather spare script, which is read from right to left, and carefully attended to the squat angular letters and straight horizontal strokes. Because different sounds might be shared by a single letter of the Arabic alphabet, the red diacritical marks guide the reader to the correct pronunciation.
