Hüsn-i Hat: Traditional Beautiful Writing in Islamic Art in Türkiye

Calligraphy is the art of writing executed with a reed pen, is ink, and other handmade inks, following aesthetic principles of proportion and balance. In Türkiye, practitioners and bearers of this art are known as "hattat" and "calligraphy artist". This art is named hüsn-i hat, meaning "beautiful writing". The practice employs materials such as glazed paper, reed pens, pen knives, inkwells, ink pots, and divits.

Calligraphy is among the artistic disciplines—alongside architecture, ornamentation, and painting—that evoke admiration in the viewer. Through hüsn-i hat, passages from the Qur’an, verses, hadiths, wise sayings, and poetic couplets are inscribed. This art is typically applied to glazed paper and leather using reed pens and is ink. It can also be executed on diverse materials such as stone, marble, ceramic, glass, metal, and wood, using specialized techniques. The manner in which the pen is held and moved significantly influences the perfection of the letters or compositions known as terkip. Hüsn-i hat encompasses various scripts, including sülüs, celi sülüs, nesih, muhakkak, reyhâni, tevki’, rika’, kûfî, siyâkat, ta’lik, celi ta’lik, dîvânî, celi dîvâni, rik’a, and gubari.

Hüsn-i Hat (AA)

UNESCO Recognition

The national nomination dossier titled "Hüsn-i Hat: Traditional Beautiful Writing in Islamic Art in Türkiye" was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021. This inscription took place during the 16th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held online in Paris, France, from 13 to 18 December 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of this decision, Türkiye’s number of elements on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage reached 21. The successful outcome of this process was made possible by the efforts of all institutions and individuals involved, as well as by the hattats who have sustained this tradition and transmitted it to future generations.

Transmission

Transmitting this art from generation to generation is a vital role fulfilled by hattats. They pass on their knowledge and experience to younger generations through the master-apprentice relationship. Often, they craft their own materials, tools, and instruments. Hattats do not merely teach writing techniques; they also convey the philosophy and artistic ethics of this heritage to their apprentices.

Applications

Originally used in books, the art of hüsn-i hat gradually became widely adopted in architecture. In addition to book pages and panels, it was incorporated as an ornamental element on the entrance doors, walls, mihrabs, minbars, and domes of buildings. Used for decoration in public spaces, calligraphy contributes to the identity of cities. Inscriptions of hüsn-i hat in public areas and buildings enable people to connect with their past, strengthening their social memory and cultural identity.