Middle Eastern Manuscripts
The University of Melbourne's Middle Eastern Manuscript Collection contains approximately 200 manuscripts that date from the 15th-19th Centuries. Muslim devotion was expressed in fine binding, calligraphy and illumination and the collection is of worldwide significance for its many fine examples of these crafts. Research has been undertaken into cultural sensitivities associated with Middle Eastern manuscripts, particularly in relation to care, handling and display. The information gathered has been used to inform the display techniques used for Melbourne University's manuscripts exhibited in "Mightier than the Sword", an exhibition at the Ian Potter Museum of Art in collaboration with the British Museum. Storage of the collection has been altered to ensure that all qur'anic material is positioned on shelves above secular texts.
A symposium on the Care and Conservation of Islamic manuscripts was held in November 2007 to provide further information about the care and preservation of this material. Under the guidance of a diverse group of specialists from Australia, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, delegates gained an understanding of materials and techniques of manufacture that contribute to inherent condition problems evident in Middle Eastern manuscripts. The symposium aimed to engender respect for other cultures and promote best-practice standards and a uniform approach to the care of these important collections across Australia.