Rare Examples of Quran on Display at Istanbul Museum

TEHRAN (IQNA) - A major exhibition on the Seljuks with 227 works at the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts sheds light on an empire that ruled much of Central Asia and Anatolia for 300 years.

 With its diverse history extending over 300 years, the Seljuk Empire, which originally emerged from the Oghuz Yabgu State in Central Asia, is the subject of an extensive exhibition "100 Yılın Şahitleri: Selçuklular" (The Witnesses of 100 Years: Seljuks) at the newly renovated Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts in Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet Square, Daily Sabah reported.

Taken from numerous museums and institutions, 227 Seljuk-era works are shown in 14 categories: History of the Seljuks; Dynasty and Power Symbols; Power and Siyasatnames; Architecture, Cities and Buildings; Symbolism, Knots and Patterns; Religious and Sufism; Daily Life and Society; Daily Life and Houses; Trade, Caravanserais and Roads; Palace and Architecture; Palace and Magnificence; Palace and Entertainment; Palace and Love, and Palace, Hunt and War.

Rare manuscripts as well as the three biggest work of Sufism including Rumi's "Masnavi," Ibn Arabi's "Futuhat-i Mekkiye" (Conquest of Mecca) and "Fusus al-Hikem" (The Bezels of Wisdom) are on display at the exhibition venue, beautifully shown with a blue background. In each section, aficionados of Islamic art can watch cinevision shows screening important incidents from Seljuk history. Visitors hear the call for prayer when they enter a special section displaying some rare examples of the Quran. From education to arts and architecture to trade, the exhibition examines the Seljuks' cultural knowledge in depth.

Having started on June 28, the exhibition will run until Sept. 30.