ŞE 4141 Rulo (Rotulus): A Kufic Qur’anic Manuscript at the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts

Abstract

Among the treasures of the Istanbul Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts (TİEM) is a rotulus Qur’an manuscript, kept under the call number ŞE 4141 Rulo. It is one of the Qur’anic manuscripts held at the Damascus Documents. The parchment manuscript, measuring 82 cm (height) x 14 cm (width), is a Kufic one and in a rotulus form. It contains 92 lines of Qur’anic verses on each side. The rotulus piece has stitches above and below. This means that it is a connecting piece of a continuing text. 1a side contains Q.7:104-137 and 1b side includes Q.7:180-206. The main ink is brownish. This article presents an edition of this manuscript and an analysis of content, codicology, orthography, verse separators, and decoration.