Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Catalogue of Islamic Seals and Talismans

A catalogue of seals and talismans housed at the Ashmolean from the 8th to 19th century Islamic world, by Ludvik Kalus (published Oxford, 1986).

Islamic Seals and Talismans by Ludvik Kalus

Publications online: 237 objects

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Octagonal bezel amulet with nasta’liq inscription and floral decoration

  • loan
  • Literature notes

    Yellow-red jasper; bezel, bevelled towards the front; rectangular with cut angles. Five lines; the first line alone; the second and third lines, and the fourth and fifth lines, are placed together in three elongated polylobed compartments. The end of the inscription is distributed in the angles in the exterior of these compartments, starting beneath on the right and continuing anti-clockwise (6a-d). Cursive script; engraved.

    (1) 'Praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being, الحمد لله رب العالمين
    (2) the Merciful, the Compassionate, the Master of the Day الرحمن الرحيم مالك يوم
    (3) of Doom. Thee only we serve; to Thee alone we pray for succour. الدين اياك نعبد واياك نستعين
    (4) Guide us in the straight path, اهدنا الصراط المستقيم
    (5) the path of those whom Thou hast blessed, صراط الذين انعمت عليهم
    (6) not of those against whom Thou art wrathful, nor of those who are astray.' (Qur. I, 2-7) لين(d) ولا الضا (c) عليهم (b) غير المغضوب (a)

    There are some flowers and branches, spread over the ground. One line follows the shape of the gem.
  • Details

    Associated place
    Asia India (possible place of creation)
    Asia Iran (possible place of creation)
    Asia India (possible place of purchase)
    Date
    probably 18th - 19th century (1701 - 1900)
    Material and technique
    jasper, cut, bevelled, and incised
    Dimensions
    2.1 x 2.9 x 0.3 cm (height x width x depth)
    Material index
    inorganicstonesilicaquartz jasper,
    inorganicstonegemstonequartz jasper,
    Technique index
    cut,
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Lent by the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford.
    Accession no.
    LI1008.49
  • Further reading

    Kalus, Ludvik, Catalogue of Islamic Seals and Talismans (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1986), no. 1.31 on p. 63, pl. II.1.31

Location

    • currently in research collection

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Publications online

  • Islamic Seals and Talismans by Ludvik Kalus

    Catalogue of Islamic Seals and Talismans

    Yellow-red jasper; bezel, bevelled towards the front; rectangular with cut angles. Five lines; the first line alone; the second and third lines, and the fourth and fifth lines, are placed together in three elongated polylobed compartments. The end of the inscription is distributed in the angles in the exterior of these compartments, starting beneath on the right and continuing anti-clockwise (6a-d). Cursive script; engraved.

    (1) 'Praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being, الحمد لله رب العالمين
    (2) the Merciful, the Compassionate, the Master of the Day الرحمن الرحيم مالك يوم
    (3) of Doom. Thee only we serve; to Thee alone we pray for succour. الدين اياك نعبد واياك نستعين
    (4) Guide us in the straight path, اهدنا الصراط المستقيم
    (5) the path of those whom Thou hast blessed, صراط الذين انعمت عليهم
    (6) not of those against whom Thou art wrathful, nor of those who are astray.' (Qur. I, 2-7) لين(d) ولا الضا (c) عليهم (b) غير المغضوب (a)

    There are some flowers and branches, spread over the ground. One line follows the shape of the gem.
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