Inscribed, near hinge, on both sides, Kufic script, probably: al-mulk li'llah [translated: Sovereignty is God's]
Bracelet, between 1000 and 1100
- Islamic, Syrian
Gold
- Framed: Overall (diam.): 2 3/4 inches (7 cm) Overall (diam. through hinged lock): 1 1/4 inches (3.2 cm)
Gift of Mrs. Roscoe B. Jackson
26.15
On View
- Islamic N120
Department
Islamic Art
- Triangles (polygons)
- Filigree
- Fatimid
- Gold
- Lozenge
- Floral pattern
- Bracelet (jewelry)
- Kufic script
- Syria
Details
“Sovereignty belongs to God” is the inscription on this bracelet, spelled out in grains of gold, intertwined with floral scrolls, and adorned with filigree. Little remains of the rich legacy of early Islamic jewelry, but what has survived demonstrates its great quality. The Fatimids (909–1176) ruled Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria for two hundred years and commissioned luxury objects of exquisite workmanship. This bracelet, made in Syria, illustrates the heights achieved by the Fatimid goldsmith.
Signed, Marks, Inscriptions
Provenance
Mrs. Roscoe B. Jackson; 1926-present, gift to the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)
Published References
The Heritage of Islam, Pattern and Precision, National Committee: Islam Centennial Fourteen, 1982, object list no. 178. Henshaw, Julia P., ed. A Visitors Guide: The Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, 1995, p. 128 (ill.).
Rights Status
Islamic, Syrian, Bracelet, between 1000 and 1100, gold. Detroit Institute of Arts, Gift of Mrs. Roscoe B. Jackson, 26.15.
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