Story of the Expedition of the Army of Rum to Iran (text, recto and verso), folio from a manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi

Like the illustrated folios from this manuscript, this text folio is written in nasta'liq script, with titles inscribed in white on gold backgrounds ornamented with floral motifs. In addition to being decorative, the slanted lines of text in the middle of the page are arranged to take up extra space, probably so that a subsequent illustration will be nearer the relevant text.