TEHRAN – Two finely crafted Qur’anic manuscripts dating from the Qajar era have been donated by Amin Motavalian to the National Library and Archives of Iran, adding to the institution’s collection of historically and artistically significant religious texts.
The manuscripts were copied 76 years apart, during the reigns of Fath-Ali Shah and Naser al-Din Shah Qajar. Their calligraphy, ornamentation and bookbinding make them significant for historical, artistic and codicological research.
The older manuscript dates to 1218 AH, or 1803–04. It features fine calligraphy, with gold used in its decorative elements, ruled borders and markings. The manuscript includes catchwords at the foot of pages and a decorated, lacquered cover. Although spaces were provided for translations of the verses, no translations were entered, and the copyist’s name is not recorded.
The second manuscript dates to 1294 AH, or 1877. It was copied during Naser al-Din Shah’s reign by Mirza Mehdi ibn Qorban-Ali Taleqani Karkabudi. It has a black 
leather cover, red, blue and black ruled borders, and catchwords. Translations of the verses appear beneath the text, while marginal notes include accounts of the circumstances of revelation and commentary on selected verses.
Beyond their religious significance, handwritten Qur’ans form an important part of the Islamic world’s written heritage. Studying such manuscripts helps researchers trace developments in calligraphic practices, decorative techniques and the art of bookmaking.
The National Library and Archives of Iran collects, preserves and organizes documentary and written heritage and makes its holdings available for research. The donation adds two historical Qur’anic manuscripts to its collections for preservation and future study.