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Period: 200 to 400
Development of the kufic script
Developed in the third or fourth century AD, the kufic script remained in use until the end of the 13th century. It became obsolete due to the difficulty of writing in the kufic script. -
900
Ibn Muqla creates guidelines for Islamic Calligraphy
Ibn Muqla is one of the most influential figures when it comes to Islamic Calligraphy. The guidelines that he created remain in use to this day. -
1000
Creation of the Thuluth script
The Thuluth script was the next major step for Islamic Calligraphy. It introduced curved and oblique lines which made it significantly easier to master than the kufic script. It remains in use to this day, and can be seen on the flag of Saudi Arabia. -
1200
Decline and fall of the kufic script
The kufic script, the earliest form of Islamic Calligraphy, was now obsolete due to its difficulty and the introduction of a number of more scripts. -
1500
Development of the Diwani script
Developed sometime during the reign of the early Ottoman Turks, Diwani was significant due to its usage and unique style. It was used in marvelous art pieces as well as the correspondence of Kings and Princes. Due to its unique style, it can be extremely difficult to read. -
Ruq'ah script and Reqa script.
The Ruq'ah script is not considered as an art form, unlike most Islamic Calligraphy. This is largely due to its simplicity. It is one of the more interesting scripts as it occurred as a natural transformation from the Reqa script, which was much more complex. Although Reqa is now obsolete, the Ruq'ah script is still in use to this day. -
Beginning of the Hurufiyya movement
The modern interpretation of the traditional Islamic Calligraphy is the Hurufiyya movement. The movement rejects western art concepts in favour of its own culture and identity. Although art historians debate the exact beginning of the movement, it is generally agreed that it began sometime around 1950.