Publication Date
XVI century
Publication Place
-
Museum of Islamic Art
Subject
Marble, various limestones, mosaic works and restoration materials.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع:302 سم؛ العرض: 215 سم؛ العمق: حوالي 70 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
I. 583
Record ID
object;ISL;de;Mus01;32;ar
Library Location
Museum of Islamic Art
Date
XVI century
Notes
This Samaritan mihrab consists of a cavity in the wall surmounted by a muqarnas arch, thus completing all the elements of the prayer mihrab. The mihrab is surrounded on both sides by small columns with bases and capitals attached to the wall. As for the wall of the mihrab, it consists of a lower section with alternating colored and painted bands that continue to the top in a pointed arch. The upper part is divided by a prominent indented band that continues on the wall and the mihrab. On the back wall of the mihrab there are two round reliefs placed in two square fields surrounded on both sides by small square fields with many passages. There are Samaritan inscriptions on the wedges of the arch, as well as on the scenes of small pictures, indicating that this group belongs to a house that was built by a Samaritan. There are also some other writing tablets that are still preserved. It was originally placed next to the mihrab. These tablets contain brief words that can only be read partially within a complete text. This text was taken from the Old Testament (The Second Book of Moses, Book of Exodus, Chapter 23, Verses 25-26). As for the writings of the right arc wedge, they also go back in detail to the five Samaritan books of Moses. The Samaritans were a Jewish tribe living in Syria since the late ancient era. It is said that the Samaritans who were residing in Damascus were forced to leave it in 1625. This mihrab was originally built in a private Damascene house and over many centuries it has had several colored frames. The colored bands and details of the mihrab decorated with muqarnas indicate that this mihrab was built during the Mamluk era. While M. visited For the first time in 1900, Sobernheim was able to see some of the splendor of what was inside this house. He requested the extraction of all the Samaritan writings, which were later transferred in 1907 to Berlin. The mihrab was initially displayed in the Kaiser Frederick Museum and has been on display in the Pergamon Museum since 1932.
Sample Text
Annette Hagedorn “Samaritan Mihrab” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;de;Mus01;32;ar
