Walters Ms. W.563, Koran al-Qurʾān القرآن Principal cataloger Gacek, Adam Cataloger Landau, Amy Cataloger Smith, Sita Copy editor Bockrath, Diane Contributor Barrera, Christina Contributor Emery, Doug Contributor Herbert, Lynley Contributor Noel, William Contributor Simpson, Shreve Contributor Tabritha, Ariel Contributor Toth, Michael B. Contributor Valle, Chiara Conservator Jewell, Stephanie Conservator Quandt, Abigail The Walters Art Museum

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 This large-format, illuminated Timurid copy of the Qur’an is believed to have been produced in Northern India in the ninth century AH / fifteenth CE. The manuscript opens with a series of illuminated frontispieces. The main text is written in a large, vocalized polychrome muḥaqqaq script. Marginal explanations of the readings of particular words and phrases are in thuluth and naskh scripts, and there is interlinear Persian translation in red naskh script. The fore-edge flap of the gold-tooled, brown leather binding is inscribed with verses 77 through 80 from Chapter 56 (Sūrat al-wāqiʿah). The seal of Sultan Bayezid II (886–917 AH / 1481-1512 CE) appears on fol. 8a. There is an erased bequest (waqf) statement and stamp of Sultan ʿUthmān Khān (432-6 AH / 1027-31 CE) on fol. 3a. Baltimore The Walters Art Museum W.563 The primary language in this manuscript is Arabic. The secondary language of this manuscript is Persian. 2a - 550a al-Qurʾān القرآن Explanations of the various readings of words and phrases in the margins; Persian interlinear translation

Thin laid paper with some chain lines visible

 Foliation: 55240.0 31.0 26.0 19.5 Foliation skips a leaf between 316 and 317, and therefore is numbered 1 through 551. Fols. 550b-551b blank Framing lines in black, blue, and gold Written in three scripts throughout: 1. vocalized polychrome (black, gold, red, and blue) muḥaqqaq script, mainly for the Qur'anic text within the frame 2. thuluth script for some chapter headings (in gold or white) or Qur'anic words in the margins 3. naskh script for the Persian interlinear translation (in red) and explanations in the margins Series of illuminated frontispieces; double-page illuminated incipits; illuminated chapter headings; various illuminated marginal devices Letters of the alphabet with explanations Text page On this page are inscribed the letters of the alphabet with phrases that explain their esoteric (mystical) meanings. Illuminated frontispiece Frontispiece This restored, illuminated frontispiece was probably once part of a double-page composition. It bears a central medallion with pendants flanked by four smaller roundels. Notes in Persian and Arabic concerning the recitation of some Qur'anic passages are inscribed all over the page. Double-page illuminated frontispiece Frontispiece This is the right side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece that is inscribed with the names of the seven reciters (qurrā’) of the Qur’an and their transmitters (in gold) with twenty-one abbreviations (in blue) assigned to them according to the alpha-numerical system (abjad). The inscription in the upper and lower cartouches reads: asāmī al-qurrāʾ al-sabʿ wa-riwāyatuhum. The margins contain explanations of the number of readings in various chapters according to various reciters. Double-page illuminated frontispiece Frontispiece This is the right side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece that is inscribed with the names of the seven reciters (qurrā’) of the Qur’an and their transmitters (in gold) with abbreviations (in blue) assigned to them according to the alpha-numerical system (abjad). The margins contain explanations of the number of readings in various chapters according to various reciters. Double-page illuminated frontispiece Frontispiece This is the right side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece, decorated with a large circular medallion (shamsah) surrounded by four roundels. The area within the frame and the margins contains explanations of the number of readings in various chapters according to various reciters. Double-page illuminated frontispiece Frontispiece This is the right side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece, decorated with a large medallion surrounded by four roundels. The margins contain explanations of the number of readings in various chapters according to various reciters. Double-page illuminated frontispiece Frontispiece This is the right side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece with an inscription in the cartouches in gold reading: innahu la-Qurʾān karīm ... nazīl min rabb al-ʿālamīn (Chapter 56 [Sūrat al-wāqiʿah], verses 77-80). Written in the margins is the phrase alayhim andhartahum am lam tunzirhum (Chapter 2 [Sūrat al-baqarah], verse 6) in the transmission (riwāyat) of Qālūn, written obliquely and repeated eighteen times. Double-page illuminated incipit Incipit This is the right side of a double-page illuminated incipit introducing chapter 1 (Sūrat al-fātiḥah). The verses are written in gold muḥaqqaq script outlined in black. Vocalization is in red, and counters are filled in in red and green. The ground is richly decorated with floral motifs. The margins contain various phrases and words with explanations of their readings according to different reciters. Double-page illuminated incipit Incipit This is the right side of a double-page illuminated incipit introducing chapter 2 (Sūrat al-baqarah), written in gold muḥaqqaq script outlined in black. Vocalization is in red, and counters are filled in in green. The ground is decorated with floral motifs. The margins contain various phrases and words with explanations of their readings according to different reciters. Double-page illuminated incipit Incipit This is the right side of a double-page illuminated incipit for chapter 7 (Sūrat al-aʿrāf). The text is inscribed in gold muḥaqqaq script, outlined in black with vocalization in blue and counters filled in in red and green. The ground is richly decorated with floral motifs. The margins contain various phrases and words with explanations of their readings according to different reciters. Double-page illuminated incipit Incipit This is the right side of a double-page illuminated incipit introducing chapter 19 (Sūrat Maryam). The text is written in gold muḥaqqaq script, outlined in black with vocalization in red and counters filled in in red and green. The ground is decorated with floral motifs. The margins contain various phrases and words with explanations of their readings according to different reciters. Double-page illuminated incipit Incipit This is the right side of a double-page illuminated incipit introducing chapter 38 (Sūrat Ṣād) in gold muḥaqqaq script, outlined in black with vocalization in red and counters filled in in red and green. The ground is decorated with floral motifs. The margins contain various phrases and words with explanations of their readings according to different reciters. Double-page illuminated incipit Incipit This is the left side of a double-page illuminated incipit introducing the final chapter, chapter 144 (Sūrat al-nās). The text is written in gold muḥaqqaq script, outlined in black with vocalization in blue and counters filled in in red. The ground is decorated with floral motifs. The margins contain various phrases and words with explanations of their readings according to different reciters.

Brown, gold-tooled leather (with flap); central lobed oval with pendants and cornerpieces, all with floral motifs; large border comprised of rectangular pieces with floral motifs; doublures of reddish-brown leather of similar design with filigree work on a blue ground; fore-edge flap inscribed with verses 77-80 from chapter 56 (Sūrat al-wāqiʿah)

 9th century AH / 15th CE Northern India Erased bequest (waqf) statement and stamp of Sultan ʿUthmān Khān (fol. 3a) Seal of Sultan Bayezid II (fol. 8a) Acquired from Mr. Dikran G. Kelekian Art Medicine Museum Poetry Script Muhammad, the Prophet Kashmiri Horses Walters Art Museum Document Astrology Devotion History Legal Literature -- Poetry Literature -- Prose Liturgy Philosophy Science Science -- Medicine Scripture Sufism Theology Mineralogy Logic Geography Geomancy Cosmology Cartography Fortune-telling Koran Qur`an Firman Palimpsest Prayer Bible Gospels Psalter Missal Lectionary Book of Hours Antiphonary Homilary Processional Horologion Breviary Hymnal Chronicle Maghreb Sub-Saharan (West) Africa Turkey Afghanistan Central Asia Egypt England India Iran Iraq Pakistan Germany France Austria Netherlands Ethiopia Armenia Flanders Greece Mamluk Mughal Ottoman Ottonian Armenian Byzantine Abbasid Qajar Rajput Christian Arabic Austrian Dutch Egyptian Fatimid German Indian Islamic Persian Safavid Timurid Turkish Umayyad English French Flemish Ethiopian Carolingian Calligraphy Colophon Headpiece Illumination Illustration Medallion Miniature Ornament Painting Early Abbasid script Ragini Romanesque Gothic Watermark Grotesques Historiated initial Inhabited initial White-vine lettering Textura Batarda Humanistic Uncial Accordion book Album Book Codex Manuscript Heraldry Saint's Life Drawing Grisaille Binding New Abbasid style Musical notation Russia Romania Charter Russian Genealogy Mass book Prayer book Gospel Lectionary Psalter-Hours Treatise Grammar Gloss Pontifical Private devotional text Gradual Protective scroll Scroll 10th century 11th century 12th century 13th century 14th century 15th century 16th century 17th century 18th century 19th century 20th century 8th century 9th century Block book Caroline minuscule Central Arab lands (Near East) Chart English secretary hand Kufic Gothic book hand Original binding Treasure binding Gospel Book Spanish Spain Liturgical Devotional Scriptural Theological Legal Historical Scientific Scientific -- Medical Literary -- Prose Literary -- Poetry Philosophical Astrological Sufi English Arabic Book Calligraphy Codex Illumination India Islamic Koran Manuscript Medallion Persian Qur`an Scripture Timurid Walters Art Museum Central Asia Original binding