Book of the Qur’an, inscribed in naskh script inside the cover. The first few pages are highly coloured and decorative. Most other pages of script are bordered by a simple band of gold and blue, with most of the script in black and red ink. Chapter headers are painted with brightly coloured decorative bands. The cover has a flowered pattern painted(?) onto the outside; a flower patterned paper adhered to the inside covers. Pages are loosely bound with string, currently only attached in one place to the cover. (Part b is a soft fabric cover that is sewn in the shape of an envelope; in storage.)

• History Of Use

  A copy of the Qur’an, in Arabic and Farsi script. The Qur’an is the central religious text of Islam.

• Narrative

  Copy made by Muhammad Hasan al-Khawanari (or Khawansari), son of Muhammad Tahir, in the year Rabi' I 1255. Collected by Mahmoud Mahdavi in Zanjan, Iran. This manuscript is typical of Qur’an production in nineteenth century Iran, with its relatively bold calligraphy in naskh script and its illumination dominated by red, gold, and blue. Between the black lines of the Qur’anic text is a word-by-word Persian translation in red ink.

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• Type of Item book
• Culture Persian
• Material ink, paint, gold metal, paper, leather skin, silk fibre
• Measurements height 20.4 cm, width 13.7 cm, depth 3.8 cm (part a) height 24.0 cm, width 18.0 cm (part b)

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• Creator Muhammad Hasan al-Khawanari
• Previous Owner Mina Mahdavi, Jerry O. Cutler
• Received from Mina Mahdavi, Jerry O. Cutler

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• Made in Iran
• Collected in Zanjan

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• Creation Date during 1839
• Ownership Date before December 13, 2013
• Acquisition Date on December 1, 2013

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• Item Classes works on paper
• Condition poor
• Current Location Case 76
• Accession Number 3039/0001 a-b