Name of Object:

Fragments of plaster

Location:

Algiers, Algeria

Holding Museum:

National Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Arts

 About National Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Arts, Algiers

Date of Object:

Hegira 406–547 / AD 1015–1152

Museum Inventory Number:

II.S.33

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Plaster, sculpted and painted.

Dimensions:

Fragment 1: length 42 cm, width 41 cm; Fragment 2: length 44 cm, width 33 cm

Period / Dynasty:

Hammadid

Provenance:

Dar al-Bahr, Qal’at Bani Hammad, Algeria.

Description:

This panel is composed of two plaster fragments that have been sculpted with decorative motifs consisting of interweaving bands punctuated by blue painted pearls against a red background. These bands form eight-cornered stars, inside which appear flowers that feature three petals.
This type of decoration is quite common in the palaces of the Qal'at Bani Hammad. The paintwork on the majority of fragments has worn off through time.

View Short Description

Two plaster fragments sculpted with motifs consisting of interlaced bands punctuated by blue painted pearls on a red background. The bands form eight-pointed stars containing three-petal flowers. This type of covering was used to decorate the dome at the Palace of the Sea (Dar al-Bahr).

How date and origin were established:

From the report of the De Beylié excavation, 1908.

How Object was obtained:

Archaeological repository (De Beylié excavations, 1908).

How provenance was established:

This type of wall-cladding was used in the decoration of the dome of the Dar al-Bahr (Palace of the Sea).

Selected bibliography:

Beylié, général de, La Kalaa des Beni Hammad, une capitale berbère de l'Afrique du Nord au XIe siècle, Paris, 1909.
Blanchet, P., “Rapport sur les travaux exécutés à la Qal'a des Beni Hammad”, Recueil de la Société archéologique du departement de Constantine, 1899, pp.97–116.
Marçais, G., Algérie médiévale, monuments et paysages historiques, Paris, 1957.
Marçais, G., Art musulman, album de pierre, plâtre et bois sculpté, Algiers, 1909.
Robert, A., “La kalâa des Beni Hammad”, Recueil de Constantine, Vol. 43, 1909.

Citation of this web page:

Ali Benbella "Fragments of plaster" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;dz;Mus01;41;en

Prepared by: Ali Benbella
Copyedited by: Margot Cortez
Translation by: Maria Vlotides
Translation copyedited by: Monica Allen


MWNF Working Number: AL 74