Folio from a Qur'an

This is a detached folio from a small `Abbasid-era Qur’an. It is written in the so-called new style Kufic script where the letter forms are closer to modern forms and the letters are clustered for greater legibility. It is written with seven lines to the page, in black ink on parchment. Vowel signs are marked in red. Verses are separated with small gilded rosettes. Every fifth verse is marked with a pear shaped rosette and the chapter heading is written in gold outlined with black ink. The recto side of the folio consists of the last two words of chapter, sura 74 (Muddasir, One wrapped up): 48 and continues with verses 49-56 on the same page. The verso side of the folio begins with the last three words of the 56th verse of chapter 74, then continues with chapter 75 (sura al-Qiyama, The Resurrection): 1-4. The recto is the flesh side of the parchment and thus the ink is less well preserved, although the red vocalization marks are much better preserved.