The world's oldest copy of the Koran appears to have been found in central England.
The fragments of writing on animal skin were discovered at the University of Birmingham, and radiocarbon testing has revealed they are at least 1370 years old.
That dates back to within a few years of the founding of Islam in 610AD.
The manuscript was discovered by a PhD student in a collection of other Middle Eastern documents.
British Library expert Dr Muhammad Isa Waley said the "exciting discovery" would have Muslims rejoicing.
The testing showed with 95 percent probability the text was written between 568 and 645. Muhammad, Islam's founder, is said to have received the revelations that make up the Koran between 610 and 632.
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