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Zamora Cathedral case
(علبة كاتدرائية زامورا)

Title	Zamora Cathedral case
Title Original	علبة كاتدرائية زامورا
Publication Date:	5th/12th century
Publication Place	- National Archaeological Museum
Subject	wood; ivory; silver; engraving; lace; hammered; Multicolour.
Type	Other
Language	Undetermined
Digital	Yes
Manuscript	No
Physical Dimensions	الارتفاع: 23.5 سم؛ الارتفاع دون الغطاء 13.3 سم؛ الطول: 31.5 سم؛ العمق: 20 سم
Library:	Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID	51944
Record ID	object;ISL;es;Mus01;27;ar
Library Location	National Archaeological Museum
Date	5th/12th century
Notes	A heart-shaped, prismatic, silver jewelry box made of wood covered with thin sheets of ivory. At the end of the 10th / 16th century, the smooth sides and backgrounds were painted with various decorations and children playing; These are all indications that the case was recovered for a purpose that was certainly religious, as indicated by the fact that it came from a cathedral. The veins flanking the plates are independent flakes that were in a fragile state before their restoration in 1991; We can notice dense Islamic decoration on it, engraved within detailed frames, and dogs and leopards chasing gazelles. And hares running from dogs, birds and stylized floral motifs on blue backgrounds, contrasted with touches of red and green. Some of the branches with long leaves are reminiscent of figures of Sassanian origin. The loop is made of gilded silver, placed in the middle of the cover, and mimics the painting of two leaves. The hinges are finished with sheets of the same hammered metal; Its long, convex alloys, all delicately perforated, depict wavy branches, dots and perforated discs of silver. The base is also decorated with a marquetry motif depicting double beams of palisander wood. An inscription in Kufic letters, surrounding the four sides of the lid, supplicates to Muhammad (PBUH), asks for God's blessing, and wishes happiness to the owner of the piece. Because of the style of the inscription's letters, this piece has recently been associated with Seville. Documents on parchment, bearing accounts and drawings of birds and human figures, link it to Sicilian art during the end of the sixth / twelfth century. This is a thesis rejected by another that dates the piece at the end of the fifth / eleventh century.
Sample Text	Ángela Franco “Zamora Cathedral Case” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;es;Mus01;27;ar

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Museum With No Frontiers

Zamora Cathedral case

(علبة كاتدرائية زامورا)

Publication Date 5th/12th century

Publication Place - National Archaeological Museum

Subject wood; ivory; silver; engraving; lace; hammered; Multicolour.

Type Other

Language Undetermined

Digital Yes

Manuscript No

Physical Dimensions الارتفاع: 23.5 سم؛ الارتفاع دون الغطاء 13.3 سم؛ الطول: 31.5 سم؛ العمق: 20 سم

Library Museum With No Frontiers

Library Asset ID 51944

Record ID object;ISL;es;Mus01;27;ar

Library Location National Archaeological Museum

Date 5th/12th century

Notes A heart-shaped, prismatic, silver jewelry box made of wood covered with thin sheets of ivory. At the end of the 10th / 16th century, the smooth sides and backgrounds were painted with various decorations and children playing; These are all indications that the case was recovered for a purpose that was certainly religious, as indicated by the fact that it came from a cathedral. The veins flanking the plates are independent flakes that were in a fragile state before their restoration in 1991; We can notice dense Islamic decoration on it, engraved within detailed frames, and dogs and leopards chasing gazelles. And hares running from dogs, birds and stylized floral motifs on blue backgrounds, contrasted with touches of red and green. Some of the branches with long leaves are reminiscent of figures of Sassanian origin. The loop is made of gilded silver, placed in the middle of the cover, and mimics the painting of two leaves. The hinges are finished with sheets of the same hammered metal; Its long, convex alloys, all delicately perforated, depict wavy branches, dots and perforated discs of silver. The base is also decorated with a marquetry motif depicting double beams of palisander wood. An inscription in Kufic letters, surrounding the four sides of the lid, supplicates to Muhammad (PBUH), asks for God's blessing, and wishes happiness to the owner of the piece. Because of the style of the inscription's letters, this piece has recently been associated with Seville. Documents on parchment, bearing accounts and drawings of birds and human figures, link it to Sicilian art during the end of the sixth / twelfth century. This is a thesis rejected by another that dates the piece at the end of the fifth / eleventh century.

Sample Text Ángela Franco “Zamora Cathedral Case” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;es;Mus01;27;ar