Bismillah Wall Carving — Kufic

THE PIECE

“Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim” — in the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate — rendered in Kufic script, the oldest and most geometric form of Arabic calligraphy, where letters become architecture: straight lines, right angles, and rhythmic repetition. This wall carving translates that geometry into beech wood sourced from the Black Sea forests of northern Turkey, the long horizontal format echoing the way Kufic inscriptions traditionally run across a wall or doorway.

The design is carved using a flat-tip cutting bit — a different approach from our angled V-carving pieces, producing clean, even-depth grooves that suit the squared-off geometry of Kufic letterforms. Each piece is shaped by CNC, then finished entirely by hand.

THE FINISH

Once the carving is complete, the piece receives a single finish: pure olive oil, nothing else. It absorbs into the beech rather than coating it, deepening the natural warm tone and nourishing the grain from within. Unlike our other calligraphy pieces, the carved depth here is left in its natural wood tone — no walnut accent — keeping the geometry quiet and monochromatic, true to the architectural character of Kufic script.

SIZE

— 35 × 5 in (89 × 12.7 cm)

A NOTE ON NATURAL VARIATION

No two pieces are identical. The grain shifts from one block of wood to the next — tone, texture, and pattern will differ slightly from what you see in the photograph. What arrives is its own thing.

READY TO HANG

A metal wall hook is fitted to the back before shipping. No tools, no assembly.