نقوش جزيرة دهلك كمصدر مؤرخ للخطوط اللينة : النسخ و الثلث

Abstract EN

This study aims to clarify that the Arabic letters engraved on the tombstones in the (Dahlak Kebir) Island, are an artwork and a historical fact, also shows that these inscriptions are one of the historical sources for the Naskh and the Thuluth according to the date written on it.

The Researcher follows the descriptive and analytical method and the observation in the field trips, and principles of academic research and standards in writing his report.

he visited the island, which belongs to the State of Eritrea and located in the Dahlak Archipelago in the Red Sea to examine the images and inscriptions in its natural environment, as well as the existing ones in the National Museum of Eritrea and the museum of Massawa city, and some mosques and entrances of the historic buildings in it, he also found ways to locate Dahlak inscriptions deployed in the world.

The researcher proved affiliation of the inscriptions written in Naskh and Thuluth to the island, then he analyzed, categorized and discussed them in a descriptive way according to the history, the type of stone, calligraphers styles and the date Through synchronization the researcher found that four of Dahlak calligraphers, lived in the period (542 AH-548 AH-637 AH-638 AH) concurrent with calligrapher( yaqoot al mustasemy ) (d.

696 AH 1296 AD) one of the pioneers of the Naskh and Thuluth, and his art works classified as starting point for these two types in the Arabic calligraphy history, that gives the most important results of this research, (the Dahlak inscriptions are one of the historical documents dating for Naskh and Thuluth ).

The researcher gives general historical information’s about the island ,home of the inscriptions, political , economical, and social development in early Islamic times, reviewing what some historians have written.