Today is UN Arabic Language Day.
December 18 was chosen as the date for the Arabic language as it is the day in 1973 when the General Assembly approved Arabic as an official UN language.
This long stone exhibited at the Israel Museum carries a dedication inscription from the year 1212 in the beautiful Naskhi script.
By the 11th century CE the Naskhi script appeared and gradually replaced the Kufic script as the most popular script for copying the Quran as well as secular and personal writings.
It is from the Naskhi script that modern Arabic script style developed.
The reused Herodian limestone block was found near the Zion Gate in Jerusalem.
Click on the sign to read the strange story of the building up and the tearing down of the city walls -- by the same man!
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On a more personal note, you're welcome to see pictures of my 5-day immersion course in spoken Arabic in a Bedouin village in the Negev.
Hebrew and Arabic are the two official languages of Israel.
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I salute you for learning it!
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
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The style of Arabic writing that you see here and elsewhere has a certain flowing energy to it that I like, even though the language itself is beyond me.
ReplyDeleteThe stone inscription is quite beautiful. I can't read Arabic but I can appreciate the beauty of the script.
ReplyDeleteThe words look so graceful and elegant.
ReplyDeleteI remember that in the 90s in Israel TV news in Hebrew were subtitled in Arabic and Russian. That's when I thought that Cyrillic was my only option...
ReplyDeleteAmazing! It seems to be it great condition considering it's age.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me that I (and most other people) need too learn a lot of other languages!
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