Coptic Liturgical Codex
Unknown Artist
17th–18th century
Medium
Black and colored inks on Venetian paper
Dimensions
Overall (closed): L. 6 1/8 in. (15.5 cm) W. 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm) D. 1/2 in. (1.3 cm) Overall (open on book mount): H. 6 1/8 in. (15.5 cm) W. 7 15/16 in. (20.2 cm) D. 6 7/8 in. (17.4 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1919
Accession Number
19.196.5
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Coptic Liturgical Codex, created by an unknown artist in the 17th or 18th century served as a treasured manuscript for worship in Egypt. Measuring just over six inches tall when closed, the compact volume contains prayers and rites written in black and colored inks on imported Venetian paper. Its classification within the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Islamic Art highlights the rich cultural intersections of the period, when Coptic communities flourished under Ottoman rule in Egypt. The use of high-quality European paper reflects extensive trade networks connecting the Me...