AN ILLUMINATED OCTAGONAL MINIATURE QUR'AN
Safavid Iran, dated 22 Sha'ban 1017 AH (30 November 1608 AD)

Arabic manuscript on paper, 201ff. with 3 fly-leaves, the pages trimmed in octagonal format, with 16 - 18ll. of minute black ink ghubari script, the Quranic text arranged within a lobed rosette medallion in black, the opening double-page frontispiece medallion highlighted in gold and red and the text clustered in gold cloudbands against a gold ground, some verse markers with gold roundels, sura headings in red ink, no evident marginal markers, the colophon dated 22 Sha'ban 1017 AH and bearing the undeciphered signature of the calligrapher, now faded, and the site of production, possibly reading Isfahan (fi Esfahan), in a gilt and lacquered binding with floral scrollwork on a dark brown ground and green-painted doublures.

2.3cm x 2.5cm the text panel

2.5cm x 3cm the folio

Miniature Qur'ans of octagonal form such as the present example were not suited for the daily readings of the Holy Text, a task which would have proved quite daunting given the small size of the text. They were instead fitted in metal cases and worn by their owners as amulets, often around the forearm (bazuband) or neck, hoping to receive protection in battle, as well as from the evil eye, jinns and other negative energies. These miniature Qur'ans were not only worn by Sh'ia believers in Iran: they were also very common among Sunnis, especially in the Ottoman provinces, as testified by two 16th-century examples produced in Turkey, and recently sold at Sotheby's London (27 October 2021, lot 123, and 26 October 2022, lot 18).