MARRIAGE

Qur ) ans continued to be richly decorated

in gold and colours. The letter shapes in

such scripts as muhaqqaq, thuluth and

tawqi‘ were outlined and the text was

vocalized. The outlining and vocalization

were often done in a colour different from

the colour of the main letter shape (often

in blue or black if the main script was in

gold). Inmany extant copies, we encounter

the writing of the superscript alif of

prolongation in red, as well as verse-

counts and prostrations indicated in

exquisite marginal roundels and medal-

lions. In contrast to the often large and deluxe

copies, Qur ) ans were also made as amu-

lets in the form of rolls and small octa-

gon-shaped books. Miniature octagon

Qur ) ans are usually between 3.5 and 7.5cm

in diameter. A number of these Qur ) ans

have survived from between the tenth/

sixteenth and thirteenth/nineteenth cen-

turies. Both roll and octagon Qur ) ans

are written in micrography, in miniature

versions of either a naskh or ghubar

script.