11/1: Islam

Mihrab: indicates wall facing Mecca

Arabic language predates Islam and becomes the physical manifestation of God’s message.

Calligraphy: from Greek kallos and graphos (“beauty” and “writing”), harmonious proportion of letters

Calligraphy appears on both religious and secular objects.

Scripts = fonts

The Arabic language originated with semi-nomadic tribes in southern Syria and Jordan, northern Arabia, and the Sinai Peninsula.

No distinction between upper case and lowercase letters

Consists of 18 shapes that express 28 phonetic sounds with the help of diacritical marks

Kufic: most common scripts in early Islam

Proportional cursive scripts: developed later, codified from the 10th-13th centuries

Each letter’s shape is determined by diamonds.

Calligraphers were highly regarded as artists and highly educated. They trained for years and came from the upper classes. Most calligraphers were men, but women were also calligraphers.

Pens (qalam): made from reeds for flexibility, seen as symbols of wisdom and instruments for transmitting holy words

Inks: made of soot, ox gall, gum Arabic, or plant essences

Manuscripts were written on papyrus and parchment.

Parchment: cured and stretched animal skin

Paper was introduced from China during the 8th century.