Kufic Script: The Earliest Quranic Calligraphy

Origins

Kufic (الخط الكوفي) is one of the oldest forms of Arabic calligraphy, named after the city of Kufa in Iraq though it likely predates the city's foundation. It was the dominant script used for copying the Quran from the 7th through the 10th century CE. Its angular, geometric forms gave early Quran manuscripts a distinctive majesty and solemnity.

Characteristics

Kufic is distinguished by its horizontal orientation, angular letter forms, and extended horizontal strokes (mashq). Early Kufic manuscripts were written without diacritical dots or vowel marks, relying on the reader's knowledge of Arabic and memorization of the Quran. Dots were later added by Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali (at the direction of Ziyad ibn Abihi or Ali ibn Abi Talib, according to different reports) and the system was refined by al-Khalil ibn Ahmad.

Varieties

Simple Kufic: The earliest form, plain and unadorned. Foliated Kufic: Letter terminals end in half-palmettes or leaf forms. Floriated Kufic: Adorned with floral motifs and arabesques. Plaited (Interlaced) Kufic: Letters are woven and knotted together. Square Kufic: A highly geometric variant used in architectural decoration, where letters form right angles only, creating patterns that can function as both text and ornament.

Legacy

Though Kufic was largely replaced by Naskh for Quran copying by the 11th century, it remains widely used in architectural inscriptions, coins, and decorative art. Square Kufic is particularly prevalent in Central Asian and Iranian tilework, adorning mosques, madrasas, and mausoleums.