Coptic Liturgical Codex

Unknown

17th–18th century · Black and colored inks on Venetian paper · Islamic Art

Wealthier monasteries would have possessed manuscripts even after the Arab conquest of the region in the mid-600s. Coptic, the latest stage of the Egyptian language, is written with the Greek alphabet, supplemented by seven additional signs. The Arabic text to the right side of each page was for the use of those who no longer easily read Coptic. Crosses worked in interlaced geometric patterns often appear in Coptic manuscripts.

Artist

Unknown

Date

17th–18th century

Medium

Black and colored inks on Venetian paper

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1919