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Islamic

Tile with Pious Inscription

Ilkhanid dynasty (1256–1353), Late 13th/early 14th century
Fritware with molded decoration, painted in blue under opaque turquoise glaze
35.8 × 3.7 cm (14.1 × 1.5 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Bands of inscription adorn monuments throughout the Islamic world. This tile was previously part of longer architectural panel containing pious inscriptions, undoubtedly attached to a religious monument. The script used here, thuluth, is known for its elongated horizontal extensions at the ends of letters. The thuluth script first emerged in the 11th century and has remained one of the most popular forms of calligraphy.

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