{"id":1595,"date":"2023-11-16T22:34:10","date_gmt":"2023-11-16T21:34:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/calligraphie.adlania.net\/mamluk-period\/"},"modified":"2023-11-16T22:34:10","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T21:34:10","slug":"mamluk-period","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/calligraphie.adlania.net\/en\/mamluk-period\/","title":{"rendered":"Mamluk period"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
<\/i>Chapter 7<\/span><\/span><\/div>

Mamluk period in Egypt (1250 – 1517)<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

The Mamluk sultans were fervent patrons of calligraphers, including Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Zaft\u00e2w\u00ee (1349-1403) and Zayn al-d\u00een Abd al-Rahm\u00e2n b. Y\u00fbsuf known as Ibn S\u00e2’igh (1367-1441). During the reign of this empire, one of the greatest known Mamluk Qur\u2019ans was calligraphed in just under sixty days, demonstrating the virtuosity of the artists of the period. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

The Mamluk school reached its apogee from 1230 onwards, distinguished by its use of angular forms, thick lines and elaborate geometric decorations. Calligraphers of the period developed and perfected different styles of writing, adapting them to their aesthetic preferences and the needs of Mamluk patrons.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

1. Calligraphic styles<\/h2>\n

1.1 Thuluth<\/em> (9th<\/sup> century)<\/h4>\n

Thuluth<\/em>, literally meaning “a third”, is the most complex style of Arabic calligraphy. It first appeared in the 9th<\/sup> century and reached its peak of development in the 13th<\/sup> and 14th<\/sup> centuries. Considered a benchmark for assessing the beauty of other styles, it was mainly used by the Mamluks (14th<\/sup> and 15th<\/sup> centuries).<\/p>\n

Thuluth<\/em> is characterized by rounded shapes and a smooth, rhythmic movement, ideal for page headings. The letters are written in two-thirds or one-third scale in relation to the original letter. It is frequently found in mosques and caravanserais, as well as on tombstones, madrasa<\/em> inscriptions and ornamental plaques.<\/p>\n

It was particularly encouraged by the Mamluk Sultan Rukn-Ad-Dine Baybars 1st<\/sup> (1260 – 1277) for decoration on glass, various metals, ivory, textiles, wood engraving and stone carving.<\/p>\n

1.2 Muhaqqaq<\/em> (10th<\/sup> century)<\/h4>\n

Muhaqqaq<\/em> is one of the main calligraphic styles of Arabic script. The term muhaqqaq<\/em> means “ornate” or “embellished”, reflecting the aesthetic characteristics of this style. It emerged in Iraq and Egypt in the 10th<\/sup> century. This majestic style is widely used for copying the Qur\u2019an and other religious texts. It reached its apogee during the Mamluk period in Egypt and Syria (13th<\/sup>-15th<\/sup> centuries).<\/p>\n

Muhaqqaq<\/em> is characterized by great meticulousness, and for decades was considered the benchmark for religious transcription. It is distinguished by its elegant, curved lines and the use of large white spaces between letters and words. Particular attention is paid to letter proportions and regular spacing, creating visual harmony and aesthetic balance.<\/p>\n

1.3 Ghub\u00e2r\u00ee<\/em> (9th<\/sup> century)<\/h4>\n

Ghub\u00e2r\u00ee<\/em> script, also known as “dust” script, was originally designed for ultra-confidential missions and the transmission of postal messages by carrier pigeon. Its reduced format later gave rise to miniature Qur\u2019ans, no more than five centimetres high. It is characterized by its small size and is often associated with the naskh\u00ee<\/em> and ruq’\u00e2<\/em> styles.<\/p>\n

Historically, Ghub\u00e2r\u00ee<\/em> script was used to copy short Qur\u2019anic verses renowned for their protective power, such as the Throne verse of Sura al-Baq\u00e2ra<\/em> (II, 255). It is mainly found on octagonal miniature Qur\u2019an manuscripts, scrolls and talismanic writings.<\/p>\n

1.4 Zoomorphic style<\/h4>\n

Zoomorphism, or the use of animals in Arabic calligraphy, has a long history throughout the various cultures of Islamic civilization. Calligraphers developed techniques to give Arabic letters animal shapes such as birds, fish, lions and horses. Over the centuries, this practice evolved to reflect the artistic and cultural influences of different geographical areas. Arabic calligraphy, deeply rooted in Islamic culture, has thus incorporated various artistic and stylistic elements over time. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Calligraphy of the name of Allah and the name of the Prophet Muhammad<\/strong>
1890
Copyist: Ali Redha
Style: Thuluth
Paper, 37,5 x 73,8 cm
ADLANIA Foundation, Manuscripts, MAN-449<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Calligraphies of Allah, Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hossein<\/strong>
Copyist: Khattat al-T\u00e2f
Style: Ghub\u00e2r\u00ee
Paper, 29,2 x 78,5 cm
ADLANIA Foundation, Manuscripts, MAN-448<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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Qur’an on decagonal leaf<\/strong>
Style: Ghub\u00e2r\u00ee
ADLANIA Foundation, Manuscripts, MAN-633<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

2.1 Zayn al-d\u00een Abd al-Rahm\u00e2n b. Y\u00fbsuf (1367-1442) <\/h4>\n

Known as Ibn S\u00e2’igh, Zayn al-d\u00een Abd al-Rahm\u00e2n b. Y\u00fbsuf was a scribe (k\u00e2tib<\/em>) for the Circassian Mamluk sultan Far\u00e2j b. Barq\u00fbq (1386-1411). Among his notable achievements are several Qur\u2019ans, one of which stands out for its imposing size, measuring one meter by fifty centimeters. He is also credited with the creation of Qur\u2019anic inscriptions, including the text of Sura al-Fath<\/em> (Koran: XLVIII), which was carefully engraved inside the Prophet’s mosque in Medina. However, his most remarkable contribution is the introduction of ij\u00e2za<\/em> into the domain of calligraphy.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Islamic vase made of glass with calligraphic inscriptions<\/strong>
\nStyle: Thuluth
\n19th<\/sup> century
\nADLANIA Foundation, Objects, OBJ-3124<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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Zoomorphic calligraphy (bird)<\/strong>
Paper, 19 x 10,5 cm
ADLANIA Foundation, Manuscripts, MAN-519<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Engraved wooden bowl (Chifa’)<\/strong>
Sura CVIII
ADLANIA Foundation, Objects, OBJ-3129<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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Bone plaque with central medallion<\/strong>
surrounded by divine names<\/strong>
Style: Thuluth
ADLANIA Foundation, Objects, OBJ-3100<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Hexagonal box made of bone<\/strong>
Floral and geometric decoration with central calligraphy of Sura CVIII
Style: Thuluth
ADLANIA Foundation, Objects, OBJ-3106<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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Qur’an copied on palm leaf support<\/strong>
Written with a graver (minq\u00e2ch)
Sura XIX ; 40 verses from Sura XX
Style: Naskh\u00ee
Java – Indonesia
ADLANIA Foundation, Objects, OBJ-34<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1595","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/calligraphie.adlania.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/calligraphie.adlania.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/calligraphie.adlania.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calligraphie.adlania.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calligraphie.adlania.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1595"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/calligraphie.adlania.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1595\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/calligraphie.adlania.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}