Subject
Amulets
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
Diameter: 3.1cm
Library
Victoria and Albert Museum
Library Asset ID
ME.2-2002
Record ID
ME.2-2002
Library Location
Middle East Section
Notes
In the medieval Middle East, rock crystal and other precious and semi-precious stones were considered to have properties which we would now think of as magical or supernatural. Because of its clarity, rock crystal was believed to have affinities with air and water and was sometimes associated with rain. The inscriptions on this item, which include the name of the prophet Solomon, show that it had a talismanic function of some sort.
Sample Text
Note Inscribed with three lines of text in Arabic, written in a Kufic style (A, B, C on image), which are framed by four lines of 'linear Kufic' script (D, E, F, G on image). Lines A, B and C consist of one word repeated three times. The word in line A is the name Sulayman (Solomon), written in scriptio defectiva , in positive (as opposed to reversed, as on a seal). See image for transcription by Tim Stanley.
Malzemeler ve teknikler
Carved rock crystal Quartz Crystal Carving
Fiziksel açıklama
Carved rock crystal sphere inscribed in Arabic, including talismanic texts in 'linear Kufic' script, on one side.
