Ardwan Lidzbarski is a Mandaic font based on Mark Lidzbarskis' handwriting.
Writing Mandaic has its own forgotten rules. Those rules are essential to keep the soul of the Mandaic script alive in our modern digital days. Studying the Mandaic hand extensively made me understand the writing system of this fantastic language.
This essential work was the foundation of the Mandaic "Ardwan Lidzbarski" font. The main focus was on correcting and digitizing the Mandaic hand script of the German scientist Mark Lidzbarski. Diving deeply into the letter shapes created using a western fountain pen was a pleasure. Then, translate them into a font that includes the characteristics of the handmade letters and the aesthetic values of the Mandaic script grammar, improving the legibility and design into a modern digital font.
This essential work was the foundation of the Mandaic "Ardwan Lidzbarski" font. The main focus was on correcting and digitizing the Mandaic hand script of the German scientist Mark Lidzbarski. Diving deeply into the letter shapes created using a western fountain pen was a pleasure. Then, translate them into a font that includes the characteristics of the handmade letters and the aesthetic values of the Mandaic script grammar, improving the legibility and design into a modern digital font.
Poster translation:
A deaf man will become a scribe,
and a blind man will write a letter.
A ruined house will prosper,
and a widow will become a bride.
Putrid waters will become pleasant,
and a stone will get wet in oil.
Poster text in Mandaic:
ࡀࡋࡂࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ ࡎࡀࡐࡓࡀ
ࡅࡏࡔࡉࡒࡀ ࡏࡍࡂࡉࡓࡕࡀ ࡊࡀࡃࡉࡁ
ࡃࡀࡄࡍࡀ ࡁࡀࡉࡕࡀ ࡄࡀࡓࡅࡁࡀ
ࡅࡀࡓࡌࡀࡋࡕࡀ ࡄࡉࡃࡅࡕࡀ ࡄࡀࡅࡉࡀ
ࡁࡀࡎࡌࡉࡀ ࡌࡉࡀ ࡎࡀࡓࡉࡉࡀ
ࡅࡂࡋࡀࡋࡀ ࡁࡌࡉࡔࡀ ࡓࡀࡈࡁࡀ
Poster transliteration in Hebrew:
אלגא האויא םאפרא
ועשיקא ענגירתא כאדיב
דאהנא באיתא הארובא
וארמאלתא הידותא האויא
באסמיא מיא סארייא
וגלאלא במישא ראטבא
Poster transliteration in Syriac:
ܐܠܓܐ ܗܐܘܝܐ ܣܐܦܪܐ
ܘܥܫܝܩܐ ܥܢܓܝܪܬܐ ܟܐܕܝܒ
ܕܐܗܢܐ ܒܐܝܬܐ ܚܐܪܘܒܐ
ܘܐܪܡܐܠܬܐ ܗܝܕܘܬܐ ܗܐܘܝܐ
ܒܐܣܡܝܐ ܡܝܐ ܣܐܪܝܝܐ
ܘܓܠܐܠܐ ܒܡܝܫܐ ܪܐܛܒܐ
REVIEWED BY PROF. CHARLES HABERL FROM THE RUTGERS UNIVERSITY:
For the Mandaic-language text of our new translation and commentary on the Mandaean Book of John, James McGrath and I made use of "Ardwan Lidzbarski," a typeface which Ardwan Alsabti based upon Mark Lidzbarski's own Mandaic hand in his own pioneering translation and edition of this text. While it may seem scarcely credible that Ardwan could improve upon someone's own handwriting, I am convinced that in every respect----clarity, legibility, fidelity to the script, and sheer aesthetics---Alsabti's work is superior to the original and has dramatically increased the value of our edition for readers. From a technical perspective, it is also a model typeface, in that it flawlessly musters an impressive array of ligatures and contextual alternates to deliver a clean text that is a delight to read and will satisfy even the most exigent of script purists.