Walters Ms. W.556, Koran

W.556

Koran

Vernacular: القرآن

This square-format manuscript on parchment is volume 9 (al-juzʾ al-tāsiʿ) of the Qur'an, covering chapter 29 (Sūrat ʿankabūt), verse 46, to the end of chapter 37 (Sūrat al-ṣaffat). It dates to the sixth century AH / twelfth CE and was produced in the Maghreb. The text is written in Maghribī script in dark brown ink and vocalized with polychrome dots. The manuscript opens with a double-page illuminated frontispiece (fols. 3b-4a) and incipit (fol. 4b). Verse markers in the shape of trefoils indicate the end of each verse, and the letter hāʾ in the form of a teardrop and discs with rosettes indicate groups of five and ten verses. The illuminated finispiece with colophon (fol. 133b) states that it is the end of volume 9 of the Qur'an (al-juzʾ al-tāsiʿ min al-rabʿah) and offers a prayer for the Prophet Muhammad and his family. The dark red goatskin binding dates to the tenth century AH / sixteenth CE.

6th century AH / 12th CE

Maghreb

Book

Scriptural

The primary language in this manuscript is Arabic.

1. Transliteration: tamma al-juzʾu al-tāsiʿu mina /1/ al-rabʿah bi-yumni Allāh wa-yusrih /2/ wa-ṣallá Allāhu ʿalá khayr /3/ al-bashar Muḥammad nabīyih wa-ʿalá alih /4/ al-ṭāhirīna wa-sallama taslīman /5/
2. Comment: Written in vocalized Mashriqī, also known as thuluth Maghribī script; no date of completion or name of scribe; states the end of volume 9 of the Qur'an (al-juz' al-tāsiʿ min al-rabʿah) and offers a prayer for the Prophet Muhammad and his family

Foliation: 135

Foliation includes flyleaves; fols. 1a-3a and fols. 134a-135b blank; text begins on fol. 4b

Catchwords: None

Comments: Manuscript comprised of quires of four folios (quaternions)

15.0 cm wide by 16.0 cm high

10.0 cm wide by 12.5 cm high

1. Columns: 1
2. Ruled lines: 7

1. Title: al-Qurʾān
2. Incipit: ولا تجاد لوا اهل الكتاب ...
3. Text note: Contains chapter 29 (Sūrat ʿankabūt), verse 46, to the end of chapter 37 (Sūrat al-ṣaffat)
4. Hand note: Written in Maghribī script in dark brown ink with multicolored vocalization; Early Abbasid (Kufic) script for chapter headings and inscriptions in illuminated panels; Mashriqī, also known as thuluth Maghribī, for finispiece with colophon (fol. 133b)
5. Decoration note: Illuminated double-page frontispiece (fols. 3b-4a); illuminated incipit (fol. 4b); illuminated finispiece with colophon (fol. 133b); chapter headings in gold ink with palmette medallions in the margin; verse markers in the shape of trefoils at the end of each verse; the letter hāʾ in the form of a teardrop and discs with rosettes and colored dots indicating groups of five and 10 verses

Upper board outside:

1. 
2. Title: Binding
3. Form: Binding
4. Label: This dark red goatskin binding with flap is decorated with a gold-tooled central lobed medallion, frame, and cornerpieces. The frame has an interlocking "S" design. It probably dates to the tenth century AH / sixteenth CE and has later repairs.

fol. 3b:

1. 
2. Title: Right side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece of geometrical design in gold, blue, and white
3. Form: Frontispiece
4. Label: The manuscript opens with this double-page illuminated frontispiece (fols. 3b-4a) of geometrical design in gold, blue, and white. There is a palmette medallion in the margin.

fol. 4a:

1. 
2. Title: Left side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece of geometrical design in gold, blue, and white
3. Form: Frontispiece
4. Label: The manuscript opens with this double-page illuminated frontispiece (fols. 3b-4a) of geometrical design in gold, blue, and white. There is a palmette medallion in the margin.

fol. 4b:

1. 
2. Title: Illuminated incipit page with headpiece
3. Form: Incipit
4. Label: This illuminated incipit page has a headpiece with an inscription in an Early Abbasid (Kufic) script that is now illegible due to damage. The headpiece is of geometric design in gold, white, and blue with a palmette medallion in the margin. The palmette has been cropped due to a later trimming of the manuscript.

fol. 133a:

1. 
2. Title: Illuminated tailpiece for chapter 37 of the Qur'an
3. Form: Tailpiece
4. Text: Sūrat al-ṣaffat
5. Label: This illuminated tailpiece for chapter 37 (Sūrat al-ṣaffat) bears an inscription in Early Abbasid (Kufic) script.

fol. 133b:

1. 
2. Title: Decorated finispiece containing a colophon inscribed in Mashriqī (also known as thuluth Maghribī) script stating the end of volume 9 of the Qur'an
3. Form: Finispiece with colophon
4. Label: This decorated finispiece contains a colophon inscribed in Mashriqī (also known as thuluth Maghribī) script stating that this is the end of volume 9 of the Qur'an (al-juzʾ al-tāsiʿ min al-rabʿah) and offering a prayer for the Prophet Muhammad and his family. The text is framed by an inner band of blue and gold and two outer bands of interlace design in gold, blue, and white in reserve. At right is a marginal medallion palmette.

The binding is not original.

Probably tenth century AH / sixteenth CE, with later repairs; dark red goatskin (with flap); gold-tooled central lobed medallion with inner frame and cornerpieces; outer frame of interlocking "S" design

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequest

Principal cataloger: Gacek, Adam

Catalogers: Landau, Amy; Smith, Sita

Editor: Bockrath, Diane

Conservators: Jewell, Stephanie; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Barrera, Christina; Emery, Doug; Herbert, Lynley; Noel, William; Simpson, Shreve; Tabritha, Ariel; Toth, Michael B.; Valle, Chiara

The Walters Art Museum

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