Considerations on Two Noble Qurans Transcribed in Shiraz During the Safavid Era

There were some Qurans related to Safavid era in Darussaade in Istanbul, which was an Ottoman royal headquarters, and were collected from mosques and tombs in museums and libraries from the beginning of the 19th century A.D. These artworks, which are remarkable examples in Islamic bibliopegy art because of their magnificent illuminations and precious covering, also show an especial and important era because of their scripts and transcribing. These works, regardless of their transcribing style, are important examples of artistic masterpieces because of their illuminations and coverings that show the perfection of Islamic bibliopegy art in the 16th century. We know that Esfahan, Tabriz, Shiraz and Qazvin were prominent in Safavid bibliopegy. Among these cities, Shiraz was the most important one in the 16th century A.D. I want to introduce two Qurans which were brought to Istanbul as an order or a gift. These two holy Qurans from Safavid era have fine scripts, illuminations, covers and they are kept in Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts in Istanbul. Ghataee and lac techniques have been performed proficiently on one of the covers. Mohamad al-Kateb and Ibn Qasem Daee Abdol Vahab al-Shirazi are the calligraphers. Both of the Qurans are transcribed in Yaghout al-Mostasami’s style which is still common in Iran. Ottoman History recorded in these Qurans are interesting, too. There is a note in one of the Qurans which is an endowment by Mehr Mah Soltan, Soltan Suleyman Qanouni’s daughter, to be kept and read in her mother’s tomb, Khoram Soltan. Another Quran was also dedicated to be kept in Aziz Mahmoud Khodaee’s mosque in Uskudar (Istanbul), according to its note, by a person named Fazlolah Ibn Mahmoud. There are horoscopes and prayers for finishing the Quran at the end of both Qurans which were common inn Safavid era.