Massive Qur'an folio

Details

Massive Qur'an folio
North Africa, early 8th century

comprising sura xv, al-Hajar, part v.62-74, manuscript on vellum, 12ll. of well-formed early brown kufic without pointing or diacritics, verses endings marked by small panels of diagonal lines, the tenth verse marked with a square medallion illuminated in blue, green, brown, orange and red with a stellar design, (slight staining to one side, one corner repaired - not affecting text, edges slightly trimmed, reverse overpainted)
folio 21 x 25¾in. (53.6 x 65cm.)

Lot Essay

Two leaves from the same Qur'an were sold in these rooms as lot 225 and 225A on 20th October 1992. The early date attested by the lack of any diacritical marks and the absense of gold in the small illuminated panel was confirmed by carbon dating at Oxford. The only other published Qur'an of comparable scale and date is preserved in the State Library in Tashkent, though similar, slightly smaller leaves are in the Yemeni National Museum.

Masahif Sana'a, Exhibition Catalogue, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait, 1985

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