Persian Manuscripts and Texts

Collection of vintage Persian manuscript pages featuring intricate calligraphy and decorative elements, highlighting the art of storytelling and craftsmanship in historical texts from the Safavid peri

Qisas al-Anbiyâ, fol. 94v, 1580, Qazvin

Text Page, Persian Verses (verso) in an Anthology with some verses from Haft Awrang (Seven Thrones) of Jami; The Fifth Throne Yusuf and Zulaykha, mid-1500s. Iran, Shiraz or Mashhad, Safavid period (1501-1722). Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper; sheet: 29.8 x 17.3 cm (11 3/4 x 6 13/16 in.); image: 21.3 x 13 cm (8 3/8 x 5 1/8 in.).

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper; average: 26.1 x 15.6 cm (10 1/4 x 6 1/8 in.).

Qur'an Manuscript Folio (verso); Text Page, 1500s. Afghanistan, Herat, Safavid period (1501-1722). Ink, gold, and colors on paper; sheet: 28 x 17.4 cm (11 x 6 7/8 in.); text area: 19.6 x 10.6 cm (7 11/16 x 4 3/16 in.).

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper;

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper;

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20 x 14.1 cm (7 7/8 x 5 9/16 in.); text field: 16.6 x 9.9 cm (6 9/16 x 3 7/8 in.).

Qisas al-Anbiyâ, fol. 94v, 1580, Qazvin

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper; average: 26.1 x 15.6 cm (10 1/4 x 6 1/8 in.).

Qisas al-Anbiyâ, fol. 94, 1580, Qazvin

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20 x 14.4 cm (7 7/8 x 5 11/16 in.); text field: 16.3 x 10.5 cm (6 7/16 x 4 1/8 in.).

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper;

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper;

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript 11th-12th century. Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript 451678

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper; average: 26.1 x 15.6 cm (10 1/4 x 6 1/8 in.).

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper;

Qisas al-Anbiyâ, fol. 69, 1580, Qazvin

Qisas al-Anbiyâ, fol. 75., 1580 ., Qazvin

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20 x 14.1 cm (7 7/8 x 5 9/16 in.); text field: 16.6 x 9.9 cm (6 9/16 x 3 7/8 in.).

Text page from a Materia Medica of Dioscorides, c. 1224. Abdallah ibn al-Fadl (Iraq). Ink and opaque watercolor on paper; sheet: 33.1 x 24.5 cm (13 1/16 x 9 5/8 in.); image: 24 x 19 cm (9 7/16 x 7 1/2 in.).

Page from an old Koran in Arabic, ca 1750, Historic, digitally restored reproduction from an original of the time

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper;

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper;

Section of a Qur'an 13th century This manuscript is from the second volume of a luxurious Quran in which all 274 folios are elaborately illuminated. The text is written in a variation of thuluth script, with gold ink outlined in black and complemented by gold, red, and blue diacritical marks. Illuminated disks indicate verse endings and other denominations. A mark instructing the worshipper to perform a prostration takes the form of a six-pointed star encircling the word sajad, or "prostrate.". Section of a Qur'an 447781

Pair of Leaves of Nezami Manuscript Pair of Leaves of Nezami Manuscript, 17th century. Ink and gold on paper, 6 5/16 x 10 1/4 in. (16 x 26 cm). Arts of the Islamic World 17th century

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript late 15th-early 16th century. Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript 456951

Unusually, this leaf from a Qur'an exhibits four different types of script. Eastern Kufi is used for the framed, illuminated chapter heading for sura 20 and the round markers for each tenth verse. In additioni Naskh is used for the main text; Muhaqqaq is used in the black lines contoured with gold; and Thuluth is used for the golden center lines.

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20 x 14.3 cm (7 7/8 x 5 5/8 in.); text field: 16.6 x 10.4 cm (6 9/16 x 4 1/8 in.).

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20 x 14.3 cm (7 7/8 x 5 5/8 in.); text field: 16.4 x 10.5 cm (6 7/16 x 4 1/8 in.).

Folios from a Qur'an Manuscript 13th-14th century. Folios from a Qur'an Manuscript 447065

Persian verses from a Haft Awrang (Seven Thrones) of Jami (d. 1492) (recto), mid-1500s. Iran, probably Shiraz, Safavid period (1501-1722). Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper; sheet: 29.6 x 16.2 cm (11 5/8 x 6 3/8 in.); image: 21 x 13 cm (8 1/4 x 5 1/8 in.).

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper;

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper;

Page of Calligraphy from an Anthology of Poetry by Sa`di and Hafiz late 15th century Sa'di This leaf comes from a dispersed anthology of Persian poetry. The leaves were remounted with borders painted in gold and silver on colored grounds - most commonly dark blue or salmon pink. The border designs range from a medley of animals, both real and fantastic - the latter borrowed from a Chinese repertory - amidst trees, foliage and rocks to those containing human figures engaged in varied active and contemplative pursuits. They are unsurpassed artistically in terms of drawing, coloring, and composition, but above all in their almost transcendental lyricism. They are in a style practiced at the court of Shah Tahmasp at Tabriz and perfected by the painter Sultan Muhammad. The calligrapher Sultan 'Ali Mashhadi, equally renowned, worked at the Timurid court in Herat in the later decades of the fifteenth century. His calligraphy was revered to the point of warranting the addition of the beautiful

The illuminated opening of a copy of the alchemical treatise Kitb al-Burhn f asrr ëilm al-mzn (Proof Regarding the Secrets of the Science of the Balance) by al-Jaldak (d. 1342/743). The undated and unsigned copy was made in Morocco and is typical of products made in the scribal workshops of Marrakesh during the second half of the 19th century. This treatise is concerned in large part with the alchemical theory of the 'balance', but it also includes an elaborate classification of animals,

Prayer book written in Maghribi script, Arabic manuscript.

Persian Verses (verso), c. 1450-1500. Iran, Qazvin or Isfahan, Safavid Period, 16th Century. Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper; overall: 37.1 x 24.8 cm (14 5/8 x 9 3/4 in.); text area: 11.8 x 5.3 cm (4 5/8 x 2 1/16 in.).

The title page, with surrounding notes, including the copyist's name Ahmad ibn Safar al-Üsküdari. Elsewhere in the volume it is stated that Amad ibn afar, a physician of Üsküdar (a suburb of Istanbul) completed the copy in the year 1685/1097 H. From a copy of Najb al-Dn al-Samarqand's medical compendium Causes and Symptoms

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20 x 14.6 cm (7 7/8 x 5 3/4 in.); text field: 16.2 x 10.6 cm (6 3/8 x 4 3/16 in.).

Koran. Pages from a 17th-century manuscript. Kabul Library, Afghanistan. Location: BIBLIOTECA. KABUL. Afghanistan.

Page from a Manuscript of the Qur'an (64:16-17; 64:18, 65:1). Spain, probably Granada or Valencia, Spanish, 13th century. Manuscripts; folios. Ink, colors, and gold on dyed paper

Illuminated opening of the first book of the Kitb al-Qnn f al-ibb (The Canon on Medicine) by Ab Al al-usayn Avicenna (d. 1037/428; probably Iran, beginning of 15th century

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.).

Leaf from a Qur'an (verso), 1300s. Egypt, Cairo, Mamluk period (1250-1517). Ink, gold, color on pink paper; sheet: 45 x 33 cm (17 11/16 x 13 in.).

Materia medica. Arabic, fol. 287, Mîrzâ Bâqir (fl. 19th c.), 1889 - 1890, Tehran or Mashhad

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.).

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.).

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript 10th-11th century. Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript 453394

Arab manuscript, The Gospels written in Arabic

Text page from a Mirror of Holiness (Mirat al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier, 1602. Mughal India, Allahabad, made for Prince Salim (1569-1627). Ink and gold on paper;

Kit'a (single piece). Date/Period: 1700s. Ink, colours and gold on paper. Height: 135 mm (5.31 in); Width: 283 mm (11.14 in). Author: Copied by Yedikuleli Seyyid Abdullah Efendi.

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript. Dimensions: H. 11 3/4 in. (29.8 cm) W. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm). Date: ca. 1180.These folios from a dispersed Qur'an exemplify the transition during the Seljuq period from Qur'ans written in kufic script on parchment to those copied in the more rounded new-style writing on paper. By the late twelfth century, the practitioners of the new style had perfected its mannered, slightly eccentric forms. As seen here, these include the extreme elongation of tall letters and the ellipse formed by combining two of these letters, lam and alif. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

This leaf is written in an elegant Muhaqqaq script, the black letters contoured in gold. The calligraphy resembles that of magnificent Il-Khanid Qur'ans, but the verse markers indicate a slightly later dating, under the Jalayirids.

Page from a copy of the Qur'an 1201-1400 North Africa. Ink, colors, and gold on vellum . Islamic

An illuminated headpiece in a copy of the treatise on Prophetic Medicine, al-Manhaj al-saw wa-al-manhal al-raw f al-ibb al-nabaw, by Jall al-Dn al-Suy (d. 1505/911). The copy is undated; the appearance of the paper, script, inks, and illumination suggests a date of the 16th century

Two pages from a Manuscript of the Qur'an (59:7-9; 59:9-11; and 61:12-14; 62:1-4). Egypt, 1438-1453. Manuscripts; folios. Ink, colors and gold on paper

MANUSCRITO PERSA-SAADI EL BOSTAN-12128- ESCRITURA ARABE. Location: BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL-COLECCION. MADRID. SPAIN.

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript ca. 1180 This folio from a Qur'an manuscript is written in "new style" script, which is noted for its elegant verticals. The folio exhibits two letters (alif and lam) that form distinctive pointed ovals, producing a graphic decorative quality.The elaborate arabesques in the background are light in color, allowing the script to stand out. The script and illumination are related to a Qur'an manuscript dated 573/1177-78, and to contemporaneous architectural inscriptions, suggesting a unity of style in Seljuq art of this period.. Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript 448283

Sufi Prayer Book. India, Rajasthan, Ajmer, 1615. Books. Black and red ink and gold

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.).

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript. Dimensions: Page: H. 10 1/4 in. (8 9/16 cm) W. 8 9/16 in. (21.7 cm)Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm) W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm). Date: ca. 1250-1300.Qur'ans of the Maghreb or the Islamic west, including North Africa and Spain, diverged at an early date from the stream of developments further east. The preservation of a number of archaic calligraphic features derived from kufic and the use of parchment are typical of the region during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Despite these archaizing features, the use of gold ink, the exaggerated curves of the letters below the baseline, and colorful diacritic marks lend the composition a striking rhythmic quality. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript dated A.H. 485/A.D. 1092 This page and no. 37.111.2 almost certainly come from a dispersed Qur'an dated A.H. 485/A.D. 1092 in "new style" script. This script was used mainly in the eastern Islamic lands after paper replaced parchment as writing material in the tenth century. The shafts of the letters are elongated, extending well above each line; for this reason, the usual page format for this type of script is vertical. The vowels and diacritical marks, rendered in blue, red, gold, and silver, add a touch of color. The page on the right is also notable for the presence of an elaborate vertical cartouche referring to the number of verses, which, in both pages, are from Sura 30 ("of the Romans").. Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript 449212

The illuminated colophon to the first volume of a seven-volume copy of the alchemical treatise Kitb al-Burhn f asrr ëilm al-mzn (Proof Regarding the Secrets of the Science of the Balance) by al-Jaldak (d. 1342). The undated and unsigned copy was made in Morocco and is typical of products made in the scribal workshops of Marrakesh during the second half of the 19th century.

Page of Calligraphy from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi ca. 1610 Abu'l Qasim Firdausi. Page of Calligraphy from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi 453268

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript 14th century This Quran which probably belongs to fourteenth century Iran is written in muhaqqaq script. Each folio has seven lines with interlinear Persian translation in naskhi script and an ornamental medallion on the right-hand side margin of the recto. Every ayat (verse) ends with a round verse-marker in gold and opaque water colors. The verses 28-33 are from Surah al-Araf (chapter 7), which forbids a believer to make repugnant acts.. Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript. 14th century. Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper. Attributed to India or Iran. Codices

Illuminated Folio (verso) from a Gulistan (Rose Garden) of Sa'di (c. 1213-1291), c. 1525-30. Calligraphy by Sultan Ali Mashhadi (Iranian, 1520). Opaque watercolor, ink, gold, and silver on paper; overall: 30 x 19 cm (11 13/16 x 7 1/2 in.); text area: 16.3 x 9.8 cm (6 7/16 x 3 7/8 in.). The Gulistan, completed around 1258, is one of the most celebrated works of Persian literature. The books name means “rose garden” in Persian; just as a rose garden is a collection of flowers, the contents are a collection of anecdotes. Written in both prose and verse, the Gulistan was used for centuries as a primer for schoolchildren in greater Iran, India, and Turkey. The text on these pages is written in nastaliq script and comes from the first chapter, “On the Conduct of Kings.”The exquisite borders of these two folios are painted in gold and silver that has tarnished over time.

Page of Calligraphy from a Mantiq al-tair (Language of the Birds) 16th-17th century Farid al-Din `Attar The Mantiq al-Tair, a twelfth-century allegorical text about man's quest for spiritual union, was given an elaborate treatment in this royal copy prepared in the atelier of the Timurid sovereign and patron Sultan Husain Mirza. It was later prized at the Safavid court under Shah Abbas I, who had the manuscript modified and presented it to the shrine of his ancestors at Ardebil. The last text page of the manuscript which concludes with a colophon dated A.H. 892 and the signature of the calligrapher. Page of Calligraphy from a Mantiq al-tair (Language of the Birds). 16th-17th century. Opaque watercolor, ink, silver, and gold on paper. Attributed to Iran. Codices

The opening decoration and invocation to Allah from a 16th century manuscript of Avicenna's Canon

Bifolium from a Qur'an Manuscript 15th century The double folio is from a Qur'an manuscript with three lines in black ink on each page and diagonally arranged interlinear translations in Persian. Kufic calligraphy in red and blue against a background of vegetal scrolls in gold surrounds the text, creating a border, and geometric floral motifs in red, green, blue and gold ornament the corners.. Bifolium from a Qur'an Manuscript. 15th century. Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper. Made in India, probably Gujarat. Codices

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript ca. 1300 This folio from a Qur'an is written in Maghribi ("Western") script, so-called for the region of North Africa and Southern Spain where it was developed and popularized. Identified by its curvilinear form, Maghribi script is also characterized by the emphasis of letters dropping below the line. The main script is in brown, while diacritical dots in blue and green punctuate the text, and the tri-lobed knotted motif in gold serves as a verse marker.. Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript 447367

Fragment of a Qur'an dated A.H. 1088/A.D. 1766. Fragment of a Qur'an. dated A.H. 1088/A.D. 1766. Ink, watercolor, and gold on paper. Country of Origin Unknown. Codices

Bifolium from a Qur'an Manuscript 15th century The favorite cursive calligraphies for the copying of high quality Qur'an manuscripts both in Egypt and Syria under the Mamluks were called thuluth, muhaqqaq, and rayhan. The latter two, a combination of which is provided by this example, are recognizable for their sharp edges and for the pointed letter ends that run flat just below the line. Seen here is the verso of the second of two conjugate leaves. Its text includes parts of verses 77 to 79 from Sura IX ("of the Immunity").. Bifolium from a Qur'an Manuscript 447066

A fine manuscript page on handmade paper from the Ottoman Koran, finely scripted and embellished in gold leaf. Blue and gold roundels mark the name of ALLAH. Date: 16th century

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20 x 14 cm (7 7/8 x 5 1/2 in.); text field: 16.6 x 10.4 cm (6 9/16 x 4 1/8 in.).

Text in Khamsa of Nizami (verso), from a Haft Paykar (Seven Portraits) of Nizami, c. 1560-80. Iran, Shiraz, Safavid period (1501-1722). Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 30.7 x 19.7 cm (12 1/16 x 7 3/4 in.); text area: 20.5 x 12.1 cm (8 1/16 x 4 3/4 in.).

Treatise on the Question of Arithmetic Code by The Master Ala-El-Din Muhammed El Ferjumedhi, Saudi Arabia, 14th Century.

The Story of Nushirwan and his Minister, "The Third Discourse on Diverse Events and Disorder in Life" from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami (1141-1209) (verso), 1555-65. Iran, Qazvin, Safavid period (1501-1722). Ink and gold on paper; sheet: 32.7 x 21.8 cm (12 7/8 x 8 9/16 in.); text area: 20.3 x 12.7 cm (8 x 5 in.).

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.).

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript. Dimensions: H.10 in. (25.4 cm)W. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm). Date: late 11th-12th century.This folio from a Qur'an is written on paper in black new style script, with vocalizations in red, diacritical marks in gold, and other orthographical signs in blue and black. The golden medallions are verse markers: the smaller ones contain letter numerals, while the larger one contains the words "100 verses" encircled by a band of trefoil scrolls, indicating the beginning of the 100th verse of Sura 6 (al-An'am, "of the Cattle").Paper, a Chinese invention, was first produced in the Islamic lands from the late 8th century, in Baghdad, but only from the 10th century onward it is known to have been employed for Qur'ans, as a substitute for parchment. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Quranic text with Islamic illuminations Quranic text with Islamic illuminations, Madina Yabisa Interpretation Center, Cúria building, Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain Copyright: xZoonar.com/BartomeuxBalaguerxRotgerx 23005175

Fragment of the Qur'ân, created in 1333, originating from Turkey or Iran

SAHIH - MANUSCRITO ARABE. Author: ABU ABDALLAH MOH BEN ISMAIL AL-BOKHARI. Location: BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL-COLECCION. MADRID. SPAIN.

MANUSCRITO ARABE DE HISTORIA NATURAL-S XIV. Author: IBN AL-DURAYHIM MAWS. Location: MONASTERIO-BIBLIOTECA-COLECCION, SAN LORENZO DEL ESCORIAL, MADRID, SPAIN.

Text Page, Arabic Prose (verso) Text from The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices (Automata) of Inb al-Razza al-Jazari, 1315. Syria, Damascus, Mamluk Period, 14th Century. Ink and opaque watercolor on paper; overall: 31.3 x 21.5 cm (12 5/16 x 8 7/16 in.).

The final page of the treatise on horsemanship titled Kitb al-Siysah f ilm al-farsah wa-ashir al-khayl wa-amirh and falsely attributed to the last of the Orthodox caliphs, Al ibn Ab lib (d. 661/40). According to the colophon shown here, lines 11-15, the copy was completed on 29 Kanun al-thani 1830 (= 29 January 1830); the year is given according to the Western calendar. The copyist was a Christian named ann ibn Jurjis arf, who states that he worked in Damascus, Syria

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.).

Section from a Qur'an Manuscript. Dimensions: 8 3/16 x 5 11/16 in. (20.8 x 14.5 cm). Date: dated A.H. 588/ A.D. 1192-93.Often Qur'ans were divided into thirty sections, each called juz'. This manuscript represents portions of the twenty-ninth juz' of such a set. A colophon survives on another section, providing the date. The text blocks on its pages consist of only five lines of muhaqqaq script, providing a sense of monumentality. Gold kufic script within illuminated frames and margin medallions distinguish the chapter headings, and gold illuminated disks mark the verses. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Surahs of the Koran with Ornamentation 1389 Manuscripts Bavarian National Library, Munich, Germany

Muhaqqaq is a type of calligraphic script in Arabic derived from Thuluth by widening the horizontal sections of the letters in the Thuluth script. It was abandoned after the 16th century and only a very few examples survive.

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript. Dimensions: 19.5 in. high 14.00 in. wide (49.5 cm high 35.6 cm wide). Date: 14th century.This Qur'an which probably belongs to fourteenth century Iran is written in muhaqqaq script. Each folio has seven lines with interlinear Persian translation in naskhi script. This folio has an ornamental medallion on the margin as a tenth verse marker. Every ayat (verse) ends with a round verse-marker in gold and color. The verses 71-75 are from Surah al-A'raf (chapter 7), which narrates the dialogue between the people of 'Aad and the Prophet Hud before God's wrath upon them. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Saffron (Crocus sativus), al-za'furân, fol. 29, Mîrzâ Bâqir (fl. 19th c.), 1889 - 1890, Tehran or Mashhad, 5 x 7.7 cm

Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Ink and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.).

35mm original

Double side of the Koran (Qur'ín), page1, page 2

Firman Issued in the Name of Fath 'Ali Shah Qajar dated A.H. 1246/A.D. 1831 This firman or royal edict is not only an important historical document but a fine work of art. The calligraphy and illumination are of the hightest caliber. Issued by Fath Ali Shah Qajar, the second ruler of the Qajar dynasty (r. 1798-1834), it concerns Perso-British diplomatic relations in the 1830's and the bestowal of the Order of the Lion and Sun by Fath Ali Shah to two British Diplomatic officials, George Willock and his brother, Henry Willock for their services. George Willock, Charges D'Affaire, was dispatched to Azarbaijan to train the Persian troops in cavalry and military tactics while Henry Willock, was minister plenipotentiary in charge of arms and ammunition.. Firman Issued in the Name of Fath 'Ali Shah Qajar 453580

Page from a Manuscript of the Quran in Maghribi Script 1100. Inks and gold on Parchment.

sample page from Ibn Ab diq's commentary on unayn ibn Isq's Question on Medicine for Beginners, in which rubrications indicate a section of the text by unayn, followed by the commentary on the passage by Ibn Ab diq, also indicated by a heading in red ink.

Text of Rustam and Suhrab, from the Shah-nama of Firdausi (Persian, c. 934-1020) (verso), c. 1610. India, Bijapur, Deccan. Ink on gold-sprinkled paper, double-sided: recto: text, verso: text; page: 20.5 x 12.4 cm (8 1/16 x 4 7/8 in.); text field: 13.3 x 6.8 cm (5 1/4 x 2 11/16 in.). This page of text from the jewel-like copy of the Shah-nama made in the southern Indian city of Bijapur describes the events leading to Rustams accidental slaying of his own son Suhrab. The larger text in red is a chapter heading, which reads: “The single combat between Rustam and Suhrab once more.”

Ferman (imperial decree) of Sultan Mehmed II (r. 1451-1481). Date/Period: 1459. Ink and gold on paper. Height: 495 mm (19.48 in); Width: 197 mm (7.75 in). Author: Unknown scribe.

The opening of the second section (fann) of an unidentified treatise on prognostics, with extensive marginal quotations from the commentary by Ibn al-Nafs on the Hippocratic treatise on prognostics. Space was left for an illuminated opening which was not filled in. The copy was made in 1584/992.

Calligraphy (verso), 1702. Ahmad al-Husaini. Gold on blue paper, four lines of thuluth calligraphy (verso); page: 28.2 x 24.1 cm (11 1/8 x 9 1/2 in.).

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