Qur'anic Verses

Qur'anic verses 12-38 of the 39th chapter of the Qur'an entitled Surat al-Zumar (The Crowds), written in the Kufi script, New Style, during 11th-12th cent. Dimensions of Written Surface: 15 (w) x 24 (h) cm On both the folio's recto and verso appear a tenth-verse marginal scalloped medallion painted in gold and provided with decorative red dots. On the recto, this medallion separates verse 20 from 21, while on the verso it separates verse 30 from 31. Verse markers within the text are quite inconspicuous, as they are executed as small yellow-beige circles that blend in with the color of the paper. Diacritics appear as red dots, while orthographic marks such as the duplication of a consonant (tashdid) and vowellessness (sukun) appear in red ink. The last three lines on the folio's verso have suffered damage and parts of the text were written in at a later date. The text is executed in Kufi script on a beige sheet of paper rather than on parchment. The script is in New Style I typical of vertical Qur'ans produced on paper during the 11th-12th centuries (Déroche 1992, 172-173, cat. no. 90). This calligraphic fragment includes verses 12-38 of the 39th chapter of the Qur'an entitled Surat al-Zumar (The Crowds). This Meccan surah is the last of a series of six chapters, which describe the mysteries of the spiritual world and the Hereafter. It describes creation, as well as God's unicity, justice, and mercy. Script: Kufi AL-5