Publication Date
Date of the faces: 369 AH / 979 AD. Date of the back of the seat: 375 AH / 985 AD
Publication Place
-
Batha Museum; Fez
Subject
Carved, turned and painted cedar wood.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع: 146 سم؛ العرض: 75 سم؛ السماكة: 3- 4.5 سم؛ اللوحات: الارتفاع: 56 سم؛ الطول: 20.6 سم،السماكة: 2.5- 4.5 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Record ID
object;ISL;ma;Mus01_C;4;ar
Library Location
Batha Museum; Fez
Date
Date of the faces: 369 AH / 979 AD. Date of the back of the seat: 375 AH / 985 AD
Notes
The elements of the pulpit consist of two distinct groups: The first group consists of two elongated panels originating from the upper parts of the side faces of the pulpit. Their surfaces are divided into areas surmounted by decorations in the form of a series of arches, and furnished with a decoration consisting of stacked pine beads, and decorations in the form of acanthus rosettes derived from Abbasid floral decorations. These spaces are surrounded by a band bearing an inscription in angular Kufi script, also in an oriental style. The decorated part of the right panel, in which the spandrels are decorated with half-bundles of acanthus, indicates the date of the Fatimid foundation of the pulpit. The other part of the inscription adorning the left panel quotes Qur’anic texts taken from verse 36 of Surah “An-Nur” (Sura No. 14). The second group includes the three elements of the back of the seat. Above the arched upper panel is an inscription in Kufic letters indicating the name of the Umayyad shepherd and the date of the restoration of the pulpit. Its floor is surrounded by a border of small floral medallions, and is decorated with an ornament depicting two fields: The center of the upper field is occupied by a rectangular panel containing an ornament consisting of multi-lobed arches decorated with floral medallions, decorated on the sides with acanthus rosettes in the form of connected arches. Meanwhile, the lower field is decorated with an acanthus rosette surrounded by multi-lobed medallions, inside one of which there are polygonal interlacings emanating from an octagonal star. The central rectangular part, surrounded by a votive inscription, is decorated with a central decorative element consisting of graduated crushed decorations, and is rich in twig decorations consisting of palm leaves and serrated acanthus rosettes surrounded by squares. The lower part is furnished with decorations in the form of balusters made of turned and painted wood, before being glued to a wooden plate. These decorations, which date back to a historical stage in Morocco during which two political-religious trends fought for dominance over the country, occupy a high place in the history of Moroccan art, which will from this date receive both Eastern and Andalusian dual influence.
Sample Text
Naima El Khatib-Boujibar “Pulpit Elements” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;ma;Mus01_C;4;ar
