Publication Date
Mid-4th century - mid-5th century AH / mid-10th century - mid-11th century AD
Publication Place
-
Museum of Islamic Arts, Raqqada; Kairouan
Subject
Sculpted plaster.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع: 11،5 سم؛ العرض: 11،5 سم؛ السماكة: 7،5 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
S 1436
Record ID
object;ISL;tn;Mus01;38;ar
Library Location
Museum of Islamic Arts, Raqqada; Kairouan
Date
Mid-4th century - mid-5th century AH / mid-10th century - mid-11th century AD
Notes
The piece represents the face of a man with features that appear to be very delicate, but he is severely damaged at the nose and mouth. The head is turbaned in the oriental style, and reminds us of some human statues on pottery of the Samanid period in Nishapur. The wrapped turban in the shape of the Latin letter "V" has a rather pronounced furrow in the middle. A scarf covers the face, as in many similar representations from the Fatimid era in Egypt or the Umayyad era in Andalusia during the 4th and 5th centuries AH / 10th and 11th centuries AD. The figure's eyes are slightly protruding, and appear as if they were previously covered with two pieces of glass to distinguish the pupil, similar to other human statues found in Sabra and elsewhere. The discovery of this type of representation in the Fatimid capital confirms the opinion that the Shiites allowed the carving of human figures, in contrast to the followers of the Maliki school of thought, who were extremists who rejected icons.
Sample Text
Mourad Rammah “Human Head” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;tn;Mus01;38;ar
