Special Offers - Monographs
Der Goldkoran:
Manuscript of Cod. arab. 1112 of München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.
Graz: ADEVA, 2011 (Codices Selecti, vol. 118)
The Goldkoran is an unique example of Islamic manuscript art, if only due to the fact that it is all written in black ink on golden paper. Moreover, it is one of the earliest Koran manuscripts in the Nash-script and one of the oldest complete Koran editions in existence. It is a single volume Koran (mushaf) with 184 leaves, i.e. 368 pages in the format of 25.8 x 17.5 cm, representing a magnificent if not to say perfect example of Islamic calligraphy.
Since pictorial documentation is very restricted in Islamic religious scripts and totally forbidden in Koran manuscripts, calligraphy was the only way to achieve artistic excellence.
The Golden Koran does not have a date, the assumption is that it was written in Iran or Irak in the 11th century, falling into the tradition of the calligrapher Ibn al-Bawwab (d. 1022) and thus connected with the Bagdad context of the late phase of the Abbasidenkalifat (750 - 1258).
The commentary volume, in German and English, reports on the origin and the history of the manuscript and its historic context. Both, facsimile and commentary volume will be distributed together in a luxury cassette. The edition is limited to 480 copies.
The prepayment price is EUR 4,980 currently translating into USD 6,975 and is valid until June 30, 2011. An extension of the deadline can be negotiated by HARRASSOWITZ in case of interest when the date of June 30 cannot be met.
Subscription price until release in the fall of 2011 will be EUR 5,480 corresponding currently to USD 7,675.
Please order through your normal library channels, or contact service@harrassowitz.de for further information.