Hidden Heritage: Decorated Qur’ans from Coastal East Africa

Distinguished Lecture in Islam, Centre for Studies in Religion and Society, University of Victoria (Canada), March 19, 2026

Between the 18th and 19th centuries local scribes and artists from coastal East Africa made highly decorated and beautifully written Qur’ans. War, dispersal, prejudice, decay, and neglect obscured the existence of these remarkable manuscripts and the histories of the Swahili Muslims who produced them. Drawing on more than two decades of research, this illustrated lecture brings to light this hidden heritage and considers its local and global significance.