Also known as the “Letter of the Dead”, this unique document combines Maghrebi Arabic script with aljamiado (Spanish written in Arabic script), and is believed to be an Islamic funerary talisman: an object of visual and textual invocation meant to protect the soul in the journey through the afterlife. The document brings together Quranic verses, divine names, prophets, and angels in a rich expression of the spirituality of Morisco communities living under Christian rule.
Using the Selene Photometric Stereo System, the document was digitised in high resolution to capture its surface relief and its materiality. From this data, a three-dimensional facsimile was produced, replicating the original’s texture, calligraphy, and sculptural qualities with extraordinary fidelity.
Digitising the Carta de la fuesa using the Selene Photometric Stereo System © Oak Taylor-Smith | Factum Foundation
Digitising the Carta de la fuesa using the Selene Photometric Stereo System © Oak Taylor-Smith | Factum Foundation
This work not only safeguards the original, but also opens new avenues for access, research, and appreciation. The facsimile adds a new chapter to the object’s history, merging advanced technology with cultural heritage to foster deeper understanding and reveal important narratives.
Amanda Blázquez printing and colour-checking the facsimile © Oak Taylor-Smith | Factum Foundation
Replicating the folds and creases of the original © Oak Tayor-Smith | Factum Foundation
Silvia Álvarez making the final touches © Oak Taylor-Smith | Factum Foundation
Production notes on a test © Oak Taylor-Smith | Factum Foundation
Facsimile of the Carta de la fuesa © Oak Taylor-Smith | Factum Foundation
The facsimile of the Carta de la fuesa © Oak Taylor-Smith | Factum Foundation
Detail of the facsimile of the Carta de la fuesa © Oak Taylor-Smith | Factum Foundation
Detail of the facsimile of the Carta de la fuesa © Oak Taylor-Smith | Factum Foundation
The original Carta de la fuesa is part of the exhibition ‘Los Latidos del Corán: La vida del libro sagrado entre mudéjares y moriscos’ (‘Heartbeats of the Qur’an: The Life of the Sacred Book among Mudéjars and Moriscos’) at the Hospital Real de Granada (11 June – 31 October 2025). The exhibition will also feature a 1:1 scale print of the 3D and colour data from the mihrab in the Oratory of the Palacio de la Madraza, recorded by Factum Foundation in January 2025.
