Geometric drawing instruments and design systems in classical Islamic arts of the book

Abstract

The consistent application of meaningful geometric proportions is a hallmark of codices from the Classical Islamic world, suggesting that designers and book artists relied upon systematic geometric construction methods to organize manuscript components. Material evidence – comprising textual, pictorial, and archaeological sources – confirms that instruments such as rulers, compasses, dividers, and set squares were integral to the design process. This study analyses these instruments, detailing their technical specifications and evaluating their application through a selection of surviving classical manuscript elements. The findings demonstrate that designers favoured geometric construction tools, such as the gūnīyā and dividers, over normative measuring devices like scale rulers or protractors. This methodology resulted in the development of sophisticated design systems rooted in geometric grids – characterized here as either static (modular) or dynamic (organic) – which effectively accounts for the harmonious proportions observed in extant manuscript production.