Folio from a Qur’an, sura 10:24-31

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Qur’an; recto: Sura Yunus (Jonah) 10: parts of 24-26 and 27, recto begins with “q[a]dirun”; verso: sura 10: 27-30 and part of 31; Arabic in black kufic script; vocalized in red with clusters of black strokes verse markers; one column; 13 lines of text.

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Historical period(s)
9th century
Medium
Ink and color on parchment
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 28 x 38.3 cm (11 x 15 1/16 in)
Geography
North Africa or Near East
Credit Line
Purchase ā€” Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1929.72
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Manuscript
Type

Manuscript folio

Keywords
Islam, kufic script, Near East, North Africa, Qur'an, sura 10
Provenance

To 1929
Kirkor Minassian, New York to 1929 [1]

From 1929
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Kirkor Minassian, New York in 1929 [2]

Notes:

[1] Object file, undated folder sheet note.

[2] See note 1. Also see Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List file, Collections Management Office.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Kirkor Minassian 1874-1944

Description

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Qur'an; recto: Sura Yunus (Jonah) 10: parts of 24-26 and 27, recto begins with "q[a]dirun"; verso: sura 10: 27-30 and part of 31; Arabic in black kufic script; vocalized in red with clusters of black strokes verse markers; one column; 13 lines of text.

Label

Until the later tenth century, most Qur'ans were written on parchment in an angular script, generally known as kufic, after the city of Kufa in southern Iraq, one of the main centers associated with the scriptā€™s development. Written with a reed pen, the kufic script is notable for its long horizontal and short vertical strokes. The horizontal format of most early Qur'ans further accentuated the lettersā€™ shallow, sweeping strokes. The thick, almost heavy script of this page is relieved by small, regular spaces that lend it a measured formality.


The tenth chapter (sura) of the Qur'an is entitled ā€œJonah,ā€ and the verses above describe the pleasures awaiting those who trust in God.

Published References
  • Estelle Whelan. Writing the Word of God: Some Early Quran Manuscripts and their Milieux, Part 1. vol. 20 Washington and Ann Arbor. pp. 128, 134, figs. 93, 330.
Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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