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Folio from a Qur'an

North African (Kairouan, Tunisia)

early 9th century

Not on view

This folio, written in plain Kufic script, features a section of the Sura of the City and the beginning of the Sura of the Sun. The two sections are separated on the page by a thick band of interlacing ribbons, a decorative feature that was popular throughout the Byzantine and Islamic worlds. This manuscript likely originated in the library of the Great Mosque of Kairouan, which experienced a golden age between the ninth and twelfth centuries.

Folio from a Qur'an, Ink on parchment and decorated vellum, North African (Kairouan, Tunisia) — Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Title: Folio from a Qur'an

Date: early 9th century

Culture: North African (Kairouan, Tunisia)

Medium: Ink on parchment and decorated vellum

Dimensions: 12 3/16 × 8 7/8 in. (31 × 22.6 cm)

Classification: Manuscripts

Credit Line: Musée National d’Art Islamique de Raqqada, Kairouan

Rights and Reproduction: Photo: Nizar Hamza

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