Ref: Y132
Archive item - not for sale
Chinese magic-square bowl, early 19th century, decorated in Arabic by a Turkish scribe for the Ottoman Turkish market, the outside of the bowl decorated with talismanic repetitious verses/prayers, the inside with a 'magic square' (a lucky charm used by Arab astrologers), the numerals add up to the same sum in any direction, the four lines of text around the square read 'There is no hero but Ali, there is no sword but Dhu'l-Faqar'; diameter: 5 3/4in., 14.5cm; condition: shallow frit and small line to rim. Examples of the 'magic square' decorated pieces can be seen in the Topkapi museum in Istanbul, also see the plate C.12-1910, via the V&A online collections.The most powerful talismans are those inscribed with prayers that invoke the name of God and the Prophet Muhammad, the ninetynine names of God and the Prophet Muhammad, verses from the Qur'an and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (hadith)These pieces such as the one on offer here were seen as offering protection from danger by putting the owner in contact with holy figures diameter: 5 1/2in. 14cm. SOLD
