Publication Date
842 - 857 / 1438 - 1453
Publication Place
-
Islamic Museum, Al-Haram Al-Sharif
Subject
Engraved brass and inlaid with gold.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع: 42 سم؛ الارتفاع مع السلسلة الحاملة: 103 سم؛ القطر: 14 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
أ/ ن/ 53
Record ID
object;ISL;pa;Mus01;21;ar
Library Location
Islamic Museum, Al-Haram Al-Sharif
Date
842 - 857 / 1438 - 1453
Notes
The piece is an incense burner of great beauty and fine workmanship, and its condition is very good. The inscriptions on the piece indicate that the Mamluk Sultan al-Zahir Sayf al-Din Abu Sa`id Muhammad Jaqmaq left it on the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, where it remained for several centuries until it was transferred in 1928 to the Islamic Museum in Jerusalem. The incense burner is rectangular in shape, with curved and ribbed surfaces. It consists of three sections: lower, upper, and relationship and chains. The lower section of the incense burner consists of a spherical vessel in the shape of an inverted dome that harmonizes with the upper section of the incense burner, which is shaped like an elongated dome. The spherical surface of the vessel at the top turns into a polygonal surface with twelve sides, and the vessel ends with an edge of a polygonal surface that also has twelve sides. The spherical surface contains a gilded inscription that reads: “There is no god but God, Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and Ibrahim is the friend of God.” There is a dense floral decoration consisting of leaves and flowers located within units framing each unit on one of the twelve faces of the ribbed surface at the top of the vessel. On the edge of the lower part of the incense burner, a golden text was written that reads, “There is no god but God, Muhammad is the Messenger of God, Ibrahim Khalil, may God stop this blessed incense burner, our Lord, Sultan Al-Malik, King Al-Zahir Abu Saeed Muhammad, may his victory be glorified, peace be upon him.” The incense burner rests on a slightly raised base that expands as it goes down. It is polygonal with twelve sides and decorated with golden lines. The upper part of the incense burner is the cover, which takes the shape of a dome, crowned by two spherical shapes, the upper one being smaller than the lower one. This section of the incense burner contains two scriptural texts: the first reads, “There is no god but God, Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and Ibrahim is the friend of God,” and the second is a Qur’anic text from verses 120-122 of Surah An-Nahl (No. 16) and reads, “Indeed, Abraham was a nation obedient to God, upright, and he was not of the polytheists grateful for His blessings. He chose him and guided him to a straight path, and We gave him good in this world, and in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous. God has spoken the truth.” "The Great." The cover ends at the bottom with a ribbed surface of twelve sides, each of which contains a floral decoration that includes a lotus flower, and this surface is also followed by a ribbed edge. There are three supports at the top of the lower part of the incense burner with chains that connect to the incense burner hanger, which also contains three supports. The hanger takes the form of a small dome, to the top of which is connected a hooked clamp to facilitate hanging. The neck of the hanger is decorated with floral decorations, in addition to twelve small balls attached to its ribbed neck. The relationship is accompanied by a religious text that reads, “The incense burner is with this (sic) incense burner, the poor servant Abdul Qadir bin Muhammad Al-Qabzi.”
Sample Text
Nazmi Al-Ju'beh “Jaqmaq Incense Burner” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;pa;Mus01;21;ar
