AN UMAYYAD ROCK CRYSTAL TALISMAN, 8TH-9TH CENTURY

Of rough oval form with one flat and one convex side, engraved to each side with a three-line Kufic inscription of Ayat al-Kursi known as ‘The Throne Verse’ v.255 of Quran 2th surah Al-Baqarah in reverse. 2.7 cm. across.

CATALOGUE NOTE A similar talisman is in the Zucker Collection, published Content, D.J.: Islamic Rings and Gems-the Benjamin Zucker, London 1987, no. 100, pp. 333-4. Nine further pieces are in the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, and have been published by Kalus, L.: Catalogue des cachets, bulles et talismans islamiques, Paris 1981, pp. 95-99, nos. 2.4-2.12. Inscriptions on talismans are normally proper, those in intaglio are rare. This talisman is one of a group of rock-crystal talismans of similar form inscribed in Kufic on both sides, often very difficult to read. These inscriptions of vv. 255 al kursi.