Book Review MeetingThe book review meeting

for “Stone-Inscriptions with Kufic Script, the

Global Cultural Heritage”, which included speeches by Dr Patrick Ringenberg, Prof Bahram Kalhornia,

Dr Hamidreza Ghelichkhani and

Mousavi Jazayeri SMV, was held on 22 Aug 2012

English editing by Dr. Perette E. Michelli

Dr Patrick Ringenberg (from Lausanne University) said: this is an important book, which considers an aspect of Islamic art that tends to be overlooked by other researchers.

He added: the images presented in this book are very rich, and I think that it is important to keep them as an archive,

because unfortunately, much of our surviving cultural and artistic heritage is currently under destruction in Iran; and it

is inexplicable that nobody wants to prevent this destruction.

Then, he pointed out that the primary author of this book is a calligrapher, and said: in my view, it is very important that calligraphers study this material [Islamic calligraphy], since the field has been dominated by archeologists and art historians.

Bahram Kalhornia, professor in graphic design and an art historian said: “I am praising the work of Mousavi Jazayeri SMV and his team. Study in this field is full of difficulties, especially when it is remembered that researchers face many limitations even before the initiation of their study; many limitations like: lack of references (whether images of ancient objects or related books), lack of scientific thinking and training in the researcher, and other issues that arise during the process of studying.

 He added: books like this should

be supported by the scientific and cultural centers. We have many unclear points in our history. A few Iranian researchers have merit in this field and have performed studies, but their works have been forgotten or lost, and the publishing houses have even been burned !

He continued: for many reasons – historical reasons – our scholars have encountered a wall of difficulties that prevented them from pursuing their studies. Mousavi Jazayeri SMV has studied in graveyards for several years; and graveyards are important sources for stone-inscriptions. Gravestones have signs, elements and ciphers, which make them the owners of secrets and centuries later they are still carrying those mysteries.

Prof Bahram Kalhornia stated that many Kufic inscriptions can be found on historical

gravestones. Inscriptions on gravestones are noble and lofty encrypted texts. They contain very complex keys to understand hidden points of history and culture. We have written many of cultural signs and

secrets on graves!! So, it can be said that graves are great libraries!

Dr Hamidreza Ghelichkhani [from New Delhi University] said: many of our contemporary findings and researches are

based on old texts that contained some errors. For

example, although some texts say that Kufic script was

created by Ali (fourth Caliph), research suggests that this

script was perfected by Ali and some of his students but not

created by him. I strongly urge all researchers to re-examine the ancient texts with close

attention.

He added that the main author of this book [Mousavi Jazayeri SMV] is one of today’s few researcher-calligraphers. Apart

from Seyed Mohamad Vahid Mousavi Jazayeri, no one in Iran or among Iranians has published more than one book on the Kufic style of calligraphy. Usually, researchers publish a single

book on a style of calligraphy, and then go on to study another style [or subject of art].

One of the high points of this book is that calligrapher and researcher were combined in one author. In various parts of this book,

there are ideas that cannot be found in other books whose authors had studied Kufic script on its historical basis alone.

He said, moreover: the first book by Mousavi Jazayeri SMV was “Kufic Encyclopedia”, which was published in 2004, but after all these years and his continuous studies, I assume that if wanted to write an encyclopedia on Kufic script today, he could publish the results of his studies in 30 volumes.

In addition, the ability of Mousavi Jazayeri SMV to read and write Kufic texts and inscriptions confers great credibility (accuracy) on his studies; and his reader will trust the content of his books, with confidence.

The primary author of the book [Mousavi Jazayeri SMV] said that:

I started my studies on Kufic script about 20 years ago. My

studies showed me that the range of the Kufic script is more than

could be published in a single comprehensive book. So I

decided to categorize the Kufic script on the basis of its objects (such as Kufic script on stones,

manuscripts and coins), in order to study them in detail.

He said that: the first volume of the book, entitled “Script and Calligraphy”, was about the Kufic script. In addition to the Primary Kufic script, which is the most original and most used sub-style of Kufic script, there were other sub-styles of Kufic script, which have many other design tendencies [they were not written by the direct movement of a pen], such as Kufic script on coins, stones and some ceramics , which I have tried to introduce through this book.

The book “Stone-Inscriptions with Kufic Script, the Global Cultural Heritage” was written by Mousavi Jazayeri SMV, Mousavi Jazayeri SMH, Christian LM, with writings by Prof Bahaoddin Kkhorramshahi, Dr Ali Imani and Fatemeh Danesh Yazdi.

This book was published in summer 2012, in 252 pages, which include

207 color-images .

Email for the authors of the book: kuficpedia@gmail.com

Related books by this group of researchers:• Artistry analysis of stones with Kufic inscription:

Aesthetic art of ancient artists in creation of global heritage. In press

• Stone-inscriptions with Thulth script of Istanbul, Turkey: A comparison between Thulth script with Kufic and Naskh styles of calligraphy over history. 2011.

….Related books by this group of researchers:

• Treasury of coins: the mirror of History and Art (an album about coins of Heidarzadeh’s museum), 2011,

• Script and calligraphy: 1st volume: Kufic script. 2nd volume: Naskh and Thulth styles of calligraphy. 3rd volume: Typography. 2010.

• Kufic Encyclopedia: 1st volume: How to write the Primary method of Kufic style of calligraphy. 2005.