"Ancient Iranians with
an alphabet of 36 letters,
used skins and pen to write,
Instead of ear-then
tablets"; W.
Durant
The art of calligraphy is
one of the reputable and
famous arts in Iran.
The glorious art of
calligraphy and its numerous
decorations have always been
praised by Iranologs.
The importance of the art of
calligraphy among Iranian
arts is such, that some arts
seem to be imperfect,
without decorative
calligraphy.
Iranians more than any other
nation have used various
calligraphy to enrich and
beautify earthen-ware,
metallic vessels and
historic buildings.
Most of the handwritten
books of Iran specially the
Holy Quran, and collections
of poems such as Shahnameh,
Hafez, Golestan, Boostan and
Khayam have been recognized
as precious artistic works
because of their graceful
and delicate calligraphy.
These books possess
extraordinary value and
importance for the art
experts all around the
world.
The calligraphy works of
notorious and virtuous
calligraphers of Iran are
preserved as precious
artistic works in museums
and private collections all
around the world.
The art of calligraphy in
Iran has a long history.
This history includes the
opposition of writing in
Iran and its process of
evolution from the ancient
times till the Islamic
period and from this period
till the present time.
A tablet in Hierogliff
writing discovered in the
north-western part of the
Iranian plateau, belonging
to the pre-historical period
is a sign that the early
inhabitants of Iran
possessed inscriptive signs
and methods. In
archaeological searches of
Silak and Marlik, dishes and
cylindrical seals engraved
with the very first Iranian
writings have been
discovered. M. Diacono, the
Russian orientalist has
called these documents:
The holy writings and
believes that they belong to
the end of the 4th
and the beginning of the 3rd
millennium BC.
Hertzfan, believes that the
Marlik inscriptions on
cylindrical seals belong to
the 5th
millennium BC. A precious
collection of Iranian
inscriptions is preserved in
the "Hermitage" museum of
Lenin-grade. The cuneiform
writing was invented by
Iranians and honored later
by Sumerians.
In the 7th
century BC, Medes for the
first time in history
invented a kind of alphabet
consisting of 36 letters.
W. Durant has stated in his
writings that Iranians with
an alphabet of 36 letters
used skins and pen to write,
instead of earthen tablets.
The numerous tablets
available in Bisotoon,
Passargad and Persepolis
display the symbols used by
old Iranians for writing.
Handwritten manuscripts of
Avesta the religious book of
the ancient Iranians, were
written with gold on skin.
Tablets with cuneiform,
Avesta and Pahlavi, writings
discovered in Iran, have
been deciphered by the
world's great linguistic
experts and their contents
are published.
These tablets are made of
half-burned clay, bricks,
stones, skin and golden and
silver sheets.
Some of these tablets are
considered as samples of the
art of calligraphy in the
ancient Iran.
After the domination of
Islam, the present Iranian
alphabet was created.
The Kufic writing was the
very first inscription used
for decorating earthenware
and metallic dishes after
the reign of Islam in Iran.
The most ancient sample of
the flowered cuneiform
writing exists in a tablet
installed in the mosque of
Nain and belongs to the end
of the 3rd
Islamic century. In this
tablet, the beginning and
the end of each letter is
adorned with paintings
resembling leaves from a
date-tree.
In the Islamic period,
Iranian artists put to work
in various ways the Arabic
alphabet to adorn mosques
and holy constructions,
wooden doors, earthenware
and metallic vessels.
The art of calligraphy
flourished even more when
the Holy Quran, Shahnameh,
and other books were written
and reached the highest
degree of perfection during
the next centuries.
During the Safavid era,
virtuous Iranian
calligraphers, invented all
diverse forms of the Persian
writing.
Thousands of tablets, books
and attractive handwritten
pieces are available among
the artistic works of
calligraphy in Iran.
These works show that
Iranian artists are almost
unparalleled in the world in
creating beauty through
their writings.
After the flourishing period
of the art of calligraphy,
the precious calligraphic
books required special care
and preservation. Therefore
the production of beautiful
leather bindings for these
magnificent books appeared
as a new art.
Iranians acquired great
success in the art of
binding books in various
ways. The leather cover of
these books were enriched in
the most gracious manner by
geometrical and floral
patterns and various
landscapes.
The art of illumination has
had a great role in
decorating these leather
covers. Some of the most
valuable handwritten books
of Iran, with leather
bindings are being kept in
the "Metropolitan" museum,
the "National Library of
Paris", the "Library of
Munich" and some private
collections. The calligraphy
in these books is mostly
accomplished by the great
masters of this art.
Writing is considered a tool
for the comprehension of the
contexts all over the world,
but in Iran writing has made
its way of becoming an
estimable art.
Although art experts around
the world are not much
informed about the contents
of the Persian handwriting,
they tend to use Iranian
calligraphy work to adorn
their libraries and private
collections. The expertise
brought forth in Iranian
calligraphy expresses the
most gracious artistic
notions.
For more samples of Iraninan
calligraphy please browse
through the |
