Papyrus Fragment
Unknown Artist
8th–10th century
Medium
Ink on papyrus
Dimensions
H. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm) W. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Museum Accession
Accession Number
x.436.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate papyrus fragment, created between the 8th and 10th centuries, provides a rare window into everyday communication during the early Islamic period. Measuring just 3¼ by 3½ inches, the small piece of ink on papyrus likely formed part of a letter or document. Its classification among codices in the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Islamic Art underscores its role as a surviving example of written correspondence from that era. Papyrus, a material long tied to ancient Egyptian traditions, remained in limited use even as paper gradually spread across Islamic lands. The fragment’s mo...