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

Name of Object:

Magic Bowl

Location:

Shahaniya, Qatar

Holding Museum:

FBQ Museum

About FBQ Museum, Shahaniya

Current Owner:

Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani

Date of Object:

19th century

Museum Inventory Number:

FBQ.HH.362

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Bronze; engraving

Dimensions:

Length: 22.5cm, Width: 20cm

Period / Dynasty:

Ottoman

Place of production:

Iraq, Karbala

Provenance:

Iraq

Description:

Protective verses from the Qur’an, blessings and magic letters encase this bronze bowl. This vessel belongs to a group of objects known as magic bowls in Islamic metalworks, intended to ward off fear, evil and demons (jinn).

While this bowl originates from Karbala in Iraq, the place of pilgrimage for Shiite Muslims, these objects have appeared in Syria, India and Iran since the 12th century. Earlier Sasanian magic bowls with Aramaic inscriptions embodied similar amuletic qualities, however were made of clay instead of metal and invoked the powers of demons and Liliths.

The Throne Verse (Ayat al Kursi) of the Qur’an guards the exterior of the bowl in the thuluth style of Arabic calligraphy, granting talismanic protection. A hexagram (six-pointed star) invokes prophet Sulayman (Solomon), while the surrounding inscriptions bear blessings for one's body and the senses. Twelve panels on the vessel allude to the twelve Imams in Shia Islam. The science letters (ilm al huruf) ascribes magical properties to the assortment of letters marking the panels.

How date and origin were established:

The date and origin were established in anthropological research-based comparison from an examination of material, calligraphy, engraving and oral tradition.

How Object was obtained:

Purchase

How provenance was established:

The date and origin were established in anthropological research-based comparison from an examination of material, calligraphy, engraving and oral tradition.

Selected bibliography:

Al-Jubeh, B., "Magic and Talismans/The Tawfiq Canaan Collection of Palestinian Amulets", Jerusalem Quarterly, 2005: 22–23.
Al-Saleh, Y., “Amulets and Talismans from the Islamic World”, in Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000.
Kiyanrad, S., "Sasanian Amulet Practices and their Survival in Islamic Iran and Beyond", Der Islam, 95 : 1 (2018): 65–90.
Porter, V., Saif, L., and Savage-Smith, E., "Medieval Islamic Amulets, Talismans and Magic", A Companion to Islamic Art and Architecture, 1 (2017): 521–557.
Welch A., "Islamic calligraphy: Meaning and symbol", in: Kolers P.A., Wrolstad M.E., Bouma H. (eds) Processing of Visible Language. Nato Conference Series, vol 13, Boston: Springer, 1980.

Citation of this web page:

Sarah Schroeder "Magic Bowl" in Explore Islamic Art Collections. Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;qt;Mus22;22;en

Prepared by: Sarah Schroeder
Copyedited by: Janice MedinaJanice Medina

Janice Medina is an artist and educator based in Upstate New York. She studied interior design at Syracuse University and obtained her M.S. in Building Conservation in 2008 (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) and Master of Fine Arts in 2019 (University at Albany).

Janice is a former participant in the US/ICOMOS International Exchange Program and she has taught courses in the history of design and historic preservation. Her artwork is influenced by her experiences in historic preservation, as well as by building materials and the natural environment.

Janice has participated as a copy-editor with Museum With No Frontiers since 2019. In this role she has had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects including Discover Islamic Art, Discover Baroque Art and Discover Glass Art.

MWNF Working Number: QT2 22