The Use of Parchment in Arabic Manuscripts of the Early Islamic Centuries
2023–2025
RFK07
Parchment has played a crucial role in the Islamic world, despite the narrow timeframe in which it has been used as a writing support. Some of the earliest known surviving examples of Qur’ans were written on parchment, indicating how the use of this support took place in a crucial moment in the development of Muslim written tradition.
However, while the importance of paper support in the same culture has been widely studied, the use and spread of parchment in Muslim countries remains unclear.
These assumptions lead to some interesting questions: what are the main characteristics of the use and production of parchment in the Islamic world, in comparison with those of other manuscript traditions? What are the main historical, economical, and sociological reasons that led to these possible differences? From which animals and species was parchment obtained? Which inks were used in the first production phases of the manuscripts and which in the later additions? What kind of traces and degradation processes can shed light on how they have been used and preserved?
To address these questions, this project aims to conduct codicological and material studies of a selection of fragments of Muslim manuscripts in Arabic script from various areas of Middle East and North Africa dated between the 7th and 11th centuries. By analysing the supports through an array of analytical, non-invasive, or micro-destructive techniques, the research aims to identify the most common parchment manufacturing processes in the Islamic world and its implications.
Findings will be compared and related to other codicological information to better understand the use of parchment in the Arabic context. In addition to the material analyses, cooperation with experts, such as sociologists, paleographers, and Arabists, will provide insight into matters of production, contents, and circumstances.
Examining production techniques and manufacturer choices may also be beneficial in understanding conservative issues and preserving Arabic parchment fragments, contributing to future research.
People
Principal Investigator: Claudia Colini
Research Associate: Giuseppe Marotta