Learn/ Educators/ Curriculum Resources/ Art of the Islamic World/ Unit Two: Arabic Script and the Art of Calligraphy/ Regional Scripts and Variations

Regional Scripts and Variations

Scripts have their own distinct function and history; some were used widely while others remained local. For example, maghribi was developed and used primarily in Spain and North Africa, while nasta'liq, a flowing script originating in Iran and Central Asia, spread eastward and became popular in Mughal India and Ottoman Turkey (fig. 14).

Examples of regional scripts

Fig. 14. Examples of regional scripts, both reading bismillah


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