This fragment of an Abbasid Qur'an was acquired by the University of Cambridge in 1878 from Edward H. Palmer, who collected it alongside other early manuscripts during a research trip to the Sinai Peninsula.

This codex is largely complete, containing the entire Quran, though the first folio and a few other leaves were supplied by a later hand. Written on parchment, the manuscript represents an important transitional stage in the evolution of the Arabic script toward the Maghrebi style. While generally well-preserved, some of the early and late folios exhibit water damage and have been repaired.