Kufic

Kufic, or Kufic script, is one of the oldest varieties of Arabic calligraphy. It developed in the city of Kufa, Iraq, during the late 7th and early 8th centuries and became a principal script for transcribing the Qur’an and for monumental inscriptions. The name derives from the city where it first flourished, a major center of early Islamic learning and administration.

Kufic is characterized by its angular, rectilinear letterforms, with long verticals and short horizontals, producing a bold, geometric appearance. Early Kufic generally lacked diacritical marks, with vowels and signs added later in some manuscripts. The script often employs ligatures and a strong emphasis on horizontal rhythm, making it well suited for large-scale inscriptions on buildings, coins, and metalwork.

In manuscript production, Kufic dominated Qur’anic text from the 8th through the 10th centuries, especially in the caliphal capitals. As cursive scripts such as Naskh emerged, Kufic gradually declined as a body-text hand but remained influential in headings, titles, and decorative displays. Regional variants arose, including Maghrebi Kufic in North Africa, which tends toward rounded forms, and the later geometric “square” or “brick” Kufic used extensively in architectural inscriptions and decorative panels.

Legacy and influence extend beyond its medieval use: Kufic remains a central reference in Arabic paleography and has inspired modern graphic design and architectural ornament, where its stark geometry is valued for both historical and aesthetic reasons.