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

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Oval bezel seal with kufic inscription and plait decoration

Glossary

kufic

  • kufic

    A term denoting various styles of angular Arabic script. Emerged in the early centuries of Islam, kufic soon became the preferred hand to copy holy texts.

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

    Haematite; bezel, bevelled towards the back; oval; front angle is very slightly rounded; the back side is a little damaged. Two lines of kufic script, in tête-bêche; without dots; separated by an ornamental motif.

    (1) The tranquility of man راحة الانسان
    (2) (lies in) the guarding of the tongue حفظ اللسان

    The ornamental motif separating the two lines of the inscription is made up of two lines plaited together, bound by a series of simple loops; the ends of the lines separate outwards. The ensemble is close to the motif known as beads and reel.

    This sentence is known to M. Reinaud, Monumens arabes, persans et turcs du cabinet de M. Le Duc de Blacas et d'autres cabinets, t. II, Paris, 1828, p. 261, n. 1.

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