Walters Ms. W.853.I, Koranal-Qurʾānالقرآن<note type="title" xml:id="n201.085974">Volume 1, containing chapters 1-18, of a two-volume set</note>Principal catalogerGacek, AdamCatalogerLandau, AmyCatalogerSmith, SitaEditorBockrath, DianeContributorBarrera, ChristinaContributorEmery, DougContributorHerbert, LynleyContributorNoel, WilliamContributorSimpson, ShreveContributorTabritha, ArielContributorToth, Michael B.ContributorValle, ChiaraConservatorJewell, StephanieConservatorQuandt, AbigailThe Walters Art Museum

Licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Access Rights, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/legalcode. It is requested that copies of any published articles based on the information in this data set be sent to the curator of manuscripts, The Walters Art Museum, 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore MD 21201.

This square-format manuscript is volume 1, containing chapters 1-18 (Sūrat al-fātiḥah through Sūrat al-kahf), of an illuminated two-volume Qur'an produced in Sub-Saharan (West) Africa in the thirteenth century AH / nineteenth CE. The text is written in Sūdānī script in dark brown ink with vocalization in red on loose leaves. Chapter headings are in reddish-brown ink. Three yellow dots outlined in red arranged in a triangular form separate verses. Polychrome circular medallions as well as square and rectangular devices in a variety of patterns and colors mark textual divisions. The leaves of the text are organized between two decorated boards with geometric compositions. The pages and boards are housed in a leather pouch (satchel).BaltimoreThe Walters Art MuseumW.853.IThe primary language in this manuscript is Arabic.fols. 3b - 468bal-Qurʾānالقرآن<note type="title" xml:id="n201.086021">Volume 1, containing chapters 1-18, of a two-volume set</note>Contains chapters 1-18

Cream European laid paper, probably Italian; fragments of the tre lune watermark visible

Foliation: 46811.011.08.56.5Text begins on fol. 3a; first two leaves blank

On versosLoose leaves, except for two bifolia at the beginning and end, stacked between boards

Written in a Sūdānī hand in dark brown ink with vocalization in redChapter headings in reddish-brown ink accompanied by marginal geometric designs; three yellow dots outlined in triangular form as verse markers; polychrome circular medallions as well as square and rectangular devices in a variety of patterns and colors as textual divisions of sixty (ḥizb), thirty (juzʾ), and seven (subʿ) sectionsOutside of the upper boardBindingThis upper board has a geometric design in a chevron pattern. The loose leaves of this Qur'an are sandwiched between this board and the lower board. It is common for Qur’ans from Muslim sub-Saharan Africa to assume this format.Inside of the upper boardBindingThe inside of this upper board is decorated with a star-shaped geometric design. The loose leaves of this Qur'an are sandwiched between this board and the lower board. It is common for Qur’ans from Muslim sub-Saharan Africa to assume this format.Incipit of chapter 1 with geometric decorationSūrat al-fātiḥahIncipitThis is the incipit for chapter 1 (Sūrat al-fātiḥah) with the chapter heading inscribed in reddish-brown ink. In the margin is a geometric design in reddish-brown, brown, and gold, which marks the start of a chapter (sūra).Painted tailpiece marking the end of chapter 1Sūrat al-fātiḥahTailpieceThis geometric design indicates the end of the first chapter (Sūrat al-fātiḥah), comprised of seven verses. It is painted in reddish-brown, green, yellow, and brown.Incipit of chapter 2 with geometric decorationSūrat al-baqarahChapter headingThis is the incipit for chapter 2 (Sūrat al-baqarah) with the chapter heading inscribed in reddish-brown ink. The chapter heading gives the name of the chapter, its number of verses, and place of revelation. In the margin is a geometric design in reddish-brown, brown, and gold, which marks the start of a chapter (sūra).Text pageSūrat al-baqarahText pageThis is one of the loose leaves upon which the text is written in Sūdānī script in dark brown ink with vocalization in red. Three yellow dots outlined in red arranged in a triangular form separate the verses.Leather pouch (satchel)Leather pouch (satchel)The loose leaves and boards of this Qur'an are protected within a leather pouch (satchel) with a flap and thong on the outside.

Two loose boards decorated on both sides with geometric designs and fastened with leather thongs; leaves and boards protected within a leather pouch (satchel) with flap and thong on the outside

13th century AH / 19th CESub-Saharan (West) AfricaSam Fogg Rare Books and Manuscripts, London; Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, by purchaseRelevant WorksSimpson, Marianna Shreve. “Expanding Boundaries: A Manuscript of the Qur’an from Sub-Saharan Africa (W.853).” Journal of the Walters Art Museum 62 (2004): 237-239.ArtMedicineMuseumPoetryScriptMuhammad, the ProphetRomaniaKashmiriHorsesWalters Art MuseumBlockbookDocumentGeneologyAstrologyDevotionHistoryLegalLiterature -- PoetryLiterature -- ProseLiturgyPhilosophyScienceScience -- MedicineScriptureSufismTheologyMineralogyLogicGeographyGeomancyCosmologyCartographyFortune-tellingKoranQur`anFirmanPalimpsestPrayerBibleGospelsPsalterMissalLectionaryBook of HoursAntiphonaryPrayerbookHomilaryProcessionalHorologionBreviaryHymnalChroniclePsalter/HoursMaghrebSub-Saharan (West) AfricaTurkeyAfghanistanCentral Arab Lands (Near East)Central AsiaEgyptEnglandIndiaIranIraqPakistanGermanyFranceAustriaNetherlandsEthiopiaArmeniaFlandersGreeceMamlukMughalOttomanOttonianArmenianByzantineAbbasidQajarRajputChristianArabicAustrianDutchEgyptianFatimidGermanIndianIslamicPersianSafavidTimuridTurkishUmayyadEnglishFrenchFlemishEthiopianCarolingianCalligraphyChartsColophonHeadpieceIlluminationIllustrationMedallionMiniatureOrnamentPainting'Kufic'Early Abbasid scriptRaginiRomanesqueGothicWatermarkTreasure BindingGrotesquesHistoriated initialInhabited initialCarolingian MinusculeGothic Book handWhite-vine letteringEnglish secretaryTexturaBatardaHumanisticUncialAccordion bookAlbumBookCodexManuscriptHeraldrySaint's LifeDrawingGrisailleOriginal BindingBindingNew Abbasid stylecharter8th Century9th Century10th Century11th Century12th Century13th Century14th Century15th Century16th Century17th Century18th Century19th Century20th CenturyLiturgicalDevotionalScripturalTheologicalLegalHistoricalScientificScientific -- MedicalLiterary -- ProseLiterary -- PoetryPhilosophicalAstrologicalSufiEnglishArabicBookCalligraphyCodexIlluminationIslamicKoranManuscriptQur`anWalters Art MuseumSub-Saharan (West) AfricaOriginal Binding