This talismanic pendant from the 18th or 19th century, of unknown exact geographical origin and creator consists of an octagonal silver pendant, probably worn on a string around the neck. Niello, a black mixture, usually of sulfur, copper, silver, and lead, used as an inlay, etched in an arabesque pattern interlaces to form golden vines and leaves. About 8 centimeters in length and 1.5 centimeters in diameter, the amulet has cupola-shaped ends on either side, reminiscent of a mosque’s dome. Looking closely, one can appreciate the details of the engraving on the golden motifs, covered in fine lines and dots. One of the ends can be removed to reveal a manuscript tightly rolled inside. On a long, 40-centimeter, snake skin scroll, are a succession of Quranic verses and prayers to God and Imam Ali, with a text divided into three columns. In addition, the intricacy of the naskh and thuluth scripts, the delicate gold shimmer of the motifs, and the magic square, make the scroll a fabulous object that holds secret powers both in its content and form.
Talismans are part of an individual’s intimate life and are made in private. The inscriptions are kept hidden from view – in our case, inside a silver amulet. There are also interesting rituals that accompany its creation, taking into account astrological signs and the alignment of stars, sprayed with incense and prayed over. Talismans can be thought of as the physical embodiment of the practice of prayer. Contrasting with spoken prayer, which only lasts while a believer is reciting, a talisman is not ephemeral and lasts through moments. Wearing it is equivalent to being in a constant state of prayer and du’a (prayer of invocation, or supplication), calling upon Allah for guidance (though one should note that the amulet was not meant to replace the ritual practice of prayer that is mandatory in Islamic practices.)
Sources:
Al-Saleh, Yasmine. “Amulets and Talismans from the Islamic World.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000.
Coulon, Jean-Charles. “Amulets and Talismans in the Earliest Works of the Corpus Bunianum.” In Amulets and Talismans of the Middle East and North Africa in Context. Brill. 2022.
