Items in the exhibit belong to the Oriental Collection of Historical Archives, one of the institution’s oldest and most valuable collections, and have been put on display as part of International Archives Day (Archives Week).
The collection contains various Qur’an manuscripts, including some from the 14th and 15th centuries. It also holds about 20 other such manuscripts dating from the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, which are largely illuminated with gold motifs, especially on the first few pages and on the last surah (chapter).
The exhibit highlights the exceptional work of calligraphers who were active during these centuries, such as Derviš Mustafa Mevlevi, who was mentioned by Evlija Çelebi (in 1660) for his wonderful handwriting.
The first International Archives Day was observed on June 9, 2008 and it was in 2011 that the Historical Archives of Sarajevo first joined the international archives community in marking this day.
