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This item has been added to the Database within the Explore Islamic Art Collections project. Information is available in: English, Arabic.

Name of Object:

Amulet

Location:

Bucharest, Romania

Holding Museum:

The National Museum of Art of Romania

About The National Museum of Art of Romania, Bucharest

Date of Object:

Hegira 12th century / AD 18th century

Museum Inventory Number:

69245 / P 172

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Gold, silver; repoussé, granulation

Dimensions:

Length: 6.7cm, Width: 5.6cm

Period / Dynasty:

Ottoman

Provenance:

Ottoman Empire

Description:

Tear-shaped pendant with a silver openwork border of twisted wire and granulation. It is inscribed on both sides with Arabic repoussé invocations and Qur’anic texts. The invocations in thuluth script on the scrolling ground at the centre are surrounded by epigraphic bands with verses in naskhi calligraphy: ‘Ma sha’ Allah!’ (‘God willing’) is encircled by the verses of Sura CXIII (Al-Falaq/ The Daybreak) and ‘Ya Hafiz!’ (‘O Preserver!’), by the verses of Sura CXIV (Al-Nas / Mankind). These last two chapters of the Qur’an, very short and intensely evocative, referred to as al-mu‘awwidhatan (the two protecting ones), appear quite frequently on amulets.

How date and origin were established:

Stylistic analysis; Comparison with related objects

How Object was obtained:

Partial return (1956) of the Romanian treasure sent to Russia for safekeeping during World War I.

How provenance was established:

Stylistic analysis

Selected bibliography:

Dunca, M., Scrierea în arta islamică, Bucharest: National Museum of Art of Romania, 2000: 74, cat. no. 46.
Olariu, E. and Vida, M., Oglinzile Orientului. Pictură şi grafică din colecţiile Muzeului Naţional de Artă al României, 1850-1950, Bucharest: National Museum of Art of Romania, 2016: 131, cat. no. 126.

Citation of this web page:

Mircea Dunca "Amulet" in Explore Islamic Art Collections. Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;rm;Mus21;25;en

Prepared by: Mircea Dunca

MWNF Working Number: RO1 25

RELATED CONTENT

 Artistic Introduction

Islamic Dynasties / Period

Ottomans


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