Papyrus Fragment

Art Historical Context

This delicate *Papyrus Fragment*, dating to the 11th–12th century, offers a rare glimpse into the world of manuscript production. Crafted with ink on papyrus—a material long favored in Egypt for its lightweight durability—this small codex fragment (5¼ × 5¾ in.) exemplifies the artistry of early Islamic scribes. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Department, it survives as a testament to the transition from ancient writing supports to paper, which became dominant around this time as papyrus production waned. The fragment's calligraphy, a hallmark of Islamic art, showcases the s...