An Investigation in Production Place of a Early Kufic Style (on the Basis of Kairoaun Kufic Qur`an)

One of the ambiguities in the history of calligraphy and copying the Qur`an is determining the regions where each calligraphic script which, in prior literature, has been classified under the Hijazi and Early Abbasid style, prevailed in the first three Hijri centuries (from 622-913 CE). This ambiguity is due to the dispersion of book leaves and the obliteration of the colophon of early copies. Moreover, due to the vast displacement of copies throughout history, it is not possible to consider the place where each copy was endowed or discovered the same as the place where it was created. The Getty Museum preserves a few leaves of a Qur`an which is one of the significant copies of Early Abbasid style. This Qur`an has been discovered in Kairouan and its other leaves are scattered in dispersed collections. Based on its place of discovery, historians like Martin Lings have attributed it to Kairouan. Yet, there is evidence that prove its production in Central Iran, not in Africa. This evidence includes the diacritic and the Abjad script used in the sign for the numeral ten āyahs. Moreover, its script style bears resemblance to the monumental script of some of the signed Qur`ans of the Persian New Abbasid style (Eastern Kufic). One of these copies is produced in Isfahan in 327AH/ 939 AD. Another one is a product of Rayy. These copies can be reason for reconsidering the Getty Museum’s Qur`an’s place of production to be Central Iran. As the Getty Museum’s Qur`an is copied in D.I Script and this style is seen in other Abbasid Iranian copies, it can be concluded that the aforementioned style can be attributed to Central Iran.One of the ambiguities in the history of calligraphy and copying the Qur`an is determining the regions where each calligraphic script which, in prior literature, has been classified under the Hijazi and Early Abbasid style, prevailed in the first three Hijri centuries (from 622-913 CE). This ambiguity is due to the dispersion of book leaves and the obliteration of the colophon of early copies. Moreover, due to the vast displacement of copies throughout history, it is not possible to consider the place where each copy was endowed or discovered the same as the place where it was created. The Getty Museum preserves a few leaves of a Qur`an which is one of the significant copies of Early Abbasid style. This Qur`an has been discovered in Kairouan and its other leaves are scattered in dispersed collections. Based on its place of discovery, historians like Martin Lings have attributed it to Kairouan. Yet, there is evidence that prove its production in Central Iran, not in Africa. This evidence includes the diacritic and the Abjad script used in the sign for the numeral ten āyahs. Moreover, its script style bears resemblance to the monumental script of some of the signed Qur`ans of the Persian New Abbasid style (Eastern Kufic). One of these copies is produced in Isfahan in 327AH/ 939 AD