In this online talk, Joumana Medlej shares her research into this forgotten aspect of Arabic writing history, that is also known as hisāb al-jummal. She tells the story of the Abjad numerals — their origins, how they came to be replaced with Indian numerals — and also a tutorial into how to use them. Stubborn myths are dismantled, and examples are shown of the abjad’s enduring use in special contexts such as astrolabes. The talk includes live exercises so attendants can fully integrate this ancient yet forgotten way of writing numbers. Total running time, including exercises and questions, will be two hours.

About Joumana Medlej

Joumana Medlej is an artist from Lebanon whose connection with early Arabic calligraphy was awakened by years spent working with master calligrapher Samir Sayegh in his Beirut studio. She specialises in the Kufi scripts, roughly corresponding to the Abbasid era, and in the materials of the time, having abandoned store-bought paints for the old ways of natural colour-making. She studies both scripts and art technology directly from primary sources, and is now drawing on her practitioner’s experience to translate medieval Arabic manuals and bring the voices of past masters to a general audience. 

Joumana has pieces in private and public collections from California to the Middle East. She teaches Kufi calligraphy at the Arab British Centre and related workshops in various institutions. 

This talk will be hosted on Zoom from 6-8pm BST. Tickets cost £30, book via our courses page.