Islamic Qur´anic Writing Board, Timbuktu / Sahel
Arabic-script Qur´anic writing board from the Timbuktu / Sahel region, dating to the late 19th to early 20th century.
Rectangular wooden Qur’anic school tablet "lawh", inscribed on both sides with handwritten Arabic script in black ink, comprising continuous religious and instructional text typical of traditional Islamic learning in the Sahel region, closely associated with the historic centres of Timbuktu and Djenné. Such boards were used for memorisation and recitation of Qur’anic passages and remain important artefacts of Islamic scholarship and education in West Africa. The present example displays dense, fluid Arabic handwriting with concluding lines, reflecting authentic scholarly use and devotional practice rather than formal court calligraphy. Surface wear, abrasions and traces of repeated use consistent with age; ink partially faded and layered. Mounted on a later custom-made wooden display base for stable, museum-style presentation. Height 40 cm; width 15 cm. Material: Wood, ink. From an old private collection of African Art, assembled in the second half of the 20th century, published in: Doehring/Ehrich, Child Health Reflected in African Artefacts, p. 18. |
