- 13
Qur'an fragment in Kufic script on vellum, North Africa or Near East, 10th century
Estimate
7,000 - 10,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
Text: Surat al-Rum (XXX), v.44 - Surat al-Sajdah (XXXII), v.14
10 folios, 10 lines per page written in a small Kufic script in dark brown ink on parchment, letter-pointing in brown, vocalisation of coloured dots, fifth verse divisions marked with small stylised Kufic letters 'ha' in gold, tenth verse divisions marked with small illuminated rosettes, sura headings written in gold Kufic script
10 folios, 10 lines per page written in a small Kufic script in dark brown ink on parchment, letter-pointing in brown, vocalisation of coloured dots, fifth verse divisions marked with small stylised Kufic letters 'ha' in gold, tenth verse divisions marked with small illuminated rosettes, sura headings written in gold Kufic script
Catalogue Note
The script employed on this Qur'an fragment is a relatively simple and functional version of Kufic, with two notable features. One is the tail of the terminal mim which hangs down vertically below the line; the other is the tail-less initial alif. Both are features which presage the change from Kufic scripts to Eastern Kufics and to Ibn Muqlah's/Ibn al-Bawwab's naskhi, whereas normally in Kufic scripts the terminal mim has a short, fatter tail that juts along the line of the script, not below, and the initial alif usually has a short horizontal tail at the base of the stroke.