Select a language
English
فارسی
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Image 4
  • Tash‘ir

    Tash‘ir

    A type of painting in the margins of a manuscript page or a piece of calligraphy that entails more or less realistic images of animals.  It is normally done in only one color (usually gold).

  • Illumination Errors

    Illumination Errors

    Since calligraphic work on a manuscript is usually done before the manuscript is illuminated, sometimes illuminators, purposefully or inadvertently, cover up dots or parts of letters with their illumination obstructing the written words.

  • Raqam

    Raqam

    The tradition of signing or writing one’s name at the end of a manuscript or a piece of calligraphy is ancient; it dates back to the first centuries of Islam.  It is more common to find the name of calligraphers than other artists or craftsmen at the end of manuscripts since they were the ones who did the writing.  There are certain phrases that have come to be customarily included in signatures or raqams; they usually point to the humility of the artists: al-ḥaqīr (the humble), al-faqīr (the impoverished), etc.

  • Library Seal

    Library Seal

  • Chalipā Headings

    Chalipā Headings

    Often lachakis are drawn at the corners of a chalipā.  At times, however, verbal headings, such as a reference to God or a poet, are used in place of a lachaki on top of a chalipā.  The Arabic phrase, "He is the Friend," appears atop of this chalipā, and the calligrapher's raqam at the bottom.

  • Sin in Nasta‘liq

    Sin in Nasta‘liq

    In the Nasta‘liq script, in order to avoid confusion between the letters sin (س) and shin (ش), three dots are written under sin (س).  Furthermore, when the sin (س) is written without the teeth, the writing of three dots under the sin (س) helps with legibility.  By way of example, it helps us distinguish between the word جم, which means “multitude,” and جسم, which means “body.” 

  • Two Dots Under Ye

    Two Dots Under Ye

    Sometimes, in order to achieve aesthetic equilibrium in the representation of a word or in order to fill in space, two dots are written under the letter ی, or an alef maqsorah  ( ٰ ) is written above the letter ی.  While these two dots and the alef maqsorah are significant in modern Arabic orthography, they do not carry any particular significance in Persian.

  • Tasmeh Andāzi

    Tasmeh Andāzi

    The thin decorative border that, similar to jadval, separates the text from the margins is called tasmeh.  Tasmeh Andāzi is the act of creating this border, which generally repeats the same decorative pattern.

  • Jadval

    Jadval

    Jadval or “border” refers to the thin lines that surround the four sides of the text and separate it from the margins.  These lines come in different colors and are drawn by metal instruments known as qalam-e jadval (pens used for drawing borders).  Today, a European version of these pens, known as Terling, is used.  The thickness of the lines could be adjusted by turning a screw on the handle of the qalam-e jadval.

  • Eslimi

    Eslimi

    Decorative vine motif
  • Sharing or Omitting Dots

    Sharing or Omitting Dots

    The curves or the extended forms of letters in the Nasta‘liq script, when combined with the limited space given to texts in illuminated manuscripts, do not leave enough room for writing all the dots of letters.  Consequently, calligraphers sometimes omit dots or use one dot for two letters.  Here, the arrow points to a dot that is shared by two letters.

  • Shāh ‘Abbāsi

    Shāh ‘Abbāsi

  • Dandān Mushi

    Dandān Mushi

    Literally, "mousy (or mouse-like) teeth." It refers to the cloud-like demarcations used around words in illuminated manuscripts.
Chalipā in Nasta‘liq, Library of the Golestān Palace, No. 1504.

Text and Margins

The relationship between the text and margin is noteworthy when the paper used for the text and the paper used for the margin are different.

Margins are generally distinguished from the text with thin lines, called borders or jadval.  Depending on the fineness of the manuscript or book, it could have multiple margins of varying colors.  In fine manuscripts and albums, the paper for the text and the margin are usually of a differing type and color.  Sometimes, the text of a book would be written on two pieces of thin paper that were glued together so that there would not be a shadow from the text on the other side of the page.  For this reason, the paper used for the margin of the page would often be twice as thick as the paper used for the text.  When a single page was used to write on both sides, attention would be paid to choosing a paper with similar thickness with the text in order to avoid wrinkles.  

This is usually done when the margin is damaged.  A type of paper would be selected for the margin similar in color and thickness to the paper used for the text.  This way, the book would close flat, and there would not be wrinkles that would allow air to sieve through the pages.

This method of attaching a new margin would have been done with utmost care so that the paper of the text and of the margin were edge to edge and did not overlap.  Usually, the touching edges of the papers were then hidden from view with colored borders.  Because of the considerable degree of expertise and effort required to create these kinds of pages, this technique is found only in the finest of manuscripts or albums.

 

Chalipā

This is a form of writing in which the lettering is not horizontal but written at a 45 degree angle.  It is usually used for writing a couplet or a few verses of poetry in the Nasta‘liq script.

Symmetry

Symmetry is a common aspect of Islamicate arts, but at times slight varieties are embedded in seemingly symmetrical pieces, either for the sake of variety itself or because differing sizes of letters and words, which are out of the control of the artist, would disrupt the symmetry of the page.  As such, despite their symmetrical appearance, there is rarely perfect symmetry in these works.