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).
Publications online: 237 objects
Oval bezel amulet with thuluth inscription, possibly from a bracelet
- on display
- loan
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Literature notes
Cornelian, set into undecorated silver setting (being one element of a bracelet); bezel; oval. One line of cursive script; engraved.
There is no conqueror except God ولا غالب الا الله
On the ground, there is a group of flower stems growing from a vase, represented rather realistically. Three lines follow the shape of the gem.
Even though the phrase in the inscription is the same as for number 1.2, the style of the script and the decoration do not allow an attribution to the Nasrid dynasty. The talisman is much more recent, probably from the 18th or from the first half of the 19th century, and seems to have been made in Ottoman Turkey. -
Details
- Associated place
- Date
- 18th - 1st half of 19th century
- Material and technique
- cornelian, incised; silver setting
- Dimensions
-
with setting 3.7 x 5.4 x 1.1 cm (height x width x depth)
without setting 2.8 x 4.4 cm (height x width)
- Material index
- Technique index
- Object type index
- No. of items
- 1
- Credit line
- Lent by the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford.
- Accession no.
- LI1008.1
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Further reading
Kalus, Ludvik, Catalogue of Islamic Seals and Talismans (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1986), no. 1.3 on p. 51, pl. II.1.3
Location
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Lower ground floor | Room 6 | Reading and Writing
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Lower ground floor | Room 6 | Reading and Writing
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
-
Catalogue of Islamic Seals and Talismans
Cornelian, set into undecorated silver setting (being one element of a bracelet); bezel; oval. One line of cursive script; engraved.
There is no conqueror except God ولا غالب الا الله
On the ground, there is a group of flower stems growing from a vase, represented rather realistically. Three lines follow the shape of the gem.
Even though the phrase in the inscription is the same as for number 1.2, the style of the script and the decoration do not allow an attribution to the Nasrid dynasty. The talisman is much more recent, probably from the 18th or from the first half of the 19th century, and seems to have been made in Ottoman Turkey.
Notice
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