IRAN OR IRAQ, 11TH CENTURY

The marginal medallions and the sura headings found in this Qur'an are closely related to a group of Qur'ans, which includes an example in the British Library dated AH 427/1036-37 AD (inv. ADD.MS.7214) and another in the Chester Beatty Library dated a year later (inv. MS.1430). Both have been attributed to Eastern Iran. The closest comparable however is a Qur'an in the Khalili Collection which is attributed to Iraq or Iran circa 1000-1050 AD and has a frontispiece which has been likened to that of the famous Qur'an attributed to Ibn al-Bawwab, (inv. QUR284, David James, The Master Scribes, London, 1992, Cat. 1, pp.24-25).