Ta‘liq

Meaning

• “Ta‘liq” means “suspension,” or “hanging together”

Uses

• Used for official correspondence in the royal court
• Used for writing books and letters
• Used for transcribing literary works
• Sometimes used for poems and calligraphy specimens

Timeline

• Developed in the 3rd or 4th century A.D.
• Used until almost the end of the 13th century
• Kufic is mostly obsolete today because it is difficult to write any text of length. It is occasionally still used for titles of manuscripts or in architectural inscriptions

Distinctive characteristics

• Formed in 11th century, standardized by 13th century
• Still in use today

Notes

• Letters that don’t connect on the left are often connected in this script (unauthorized ligatures)
• Descending strokes appear as loops
• Letters are rounded with extreme contrasts in letter spacing
• Wide spaces appear between lines
• Lines ascend upward as they move from right to left