This fragment is written in a Qur’anic script known as the ‘New Style’, with some transitional features of ‘Round Style’ calligraphy. The script is characterised by triangular and trapezoidal letter heads, giving the script an orthogonal and rigid overall aspect. Some strokes, however, are executed with a more curvilinear hand, most clearly visible in the generous bowls of letters such as nūn. Vocalisation is marked using the old dot system: a dot above the letter represents a fatḥa, one below represents a kasra, and a dot on the line represents a ḍamma. Additional diacritical marks, including sukūn and shadda, were added in a green iron-based ink, now oxidised.

Glossary

Bowl — the rounded closed or semi-closed curve of a letter which descends below the baseline, as in wāw, qāf, nūn, and sīn

Curvilinear — a script characterised by long, rounded, flowing strokes, most evident in the loops of letters such as fā or ʿayn, and in the bowls of letters such as yāʾ or nūn; distinct from cursive

Ḍamma — a vocalisation mark indicating a short /u/ vowel

Diacritical marks — signs added to letters to indicate vocalisation or other phonetic features, including fatḥa, kasra, ḍamma, sukūn, and shadda

Fatḥa — a vocalisation mark indicating a short /a/ vowel

Kasra — a vocalisation mark indicating a short /i/ vowel

New Style — an eastern Qur’anic script characterised by triangular and trapezoidal letter heads and diagonal descending strokes in bowls and tails

Orthogonal — composed of right angles; used to describe scripts in which strokes meet at ninety degrees, producing a rigid, angular aspect

Round Style — a Qur’anic script characterised by proportioned curvilinear letterforms

Shadda — a diacritical mark indicating doubling of a consonant; also called tashdīd

Sukūn — a diacritical mark indicating the absence of a vowel following a consonant

Further Reading

• https://invisibleeast.web.ox.ac.uk/article/document-month-725-fragments-once-complete-qurans