Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

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Oval bezel seal with kufic inscription

  • loan

Glossary

kufic

  • kufic

    A term denoting various styles of angular Arabic script. Emerged in the early centuries of Islam, kufic soon became the preferred hand to copy holy texts.

Location

    • currently in research collection

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Publications online

  • Islamic Seals and Talismans by Ludvik Kalus

    Catalogue of Islamic Seals and Talismans

    Cornelian; bezel, bevelled towards the front; oval; back angle slightly cut. Four lines of kufic script, without dots.

    (1) 'In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
    (2) Say: "He is God, One, God, the Everlasting Refuge, قل هو الله احد الله الصمد
    (3) who has not begotten, and has not been begotten, and لم يلد ولم يولد ولم
    (4) equal to Him is not any one." (Qur. CXII) يكن له كفوا احد

    Could be a later imitation of kufic script.

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