Vintage silver cylindrical prayer box made by the Pashtun artisans
This old silver prayer case from the 1930a has a geometric design and two decorative caps, one of which opens so as to allow a scrolled prayer to be inserted. The cylinder is hammered with floral scroll motifs. It may possibly have been part of a bazuband, worn with a similar second case, the two being attached to a stone such as Carnelian which would bear the inscription of a Qur'anic verse. An interesting original item with a lovely patina.
Date:
Circa 1930
Material:
Silver
Dimensions:
1.5 cm (h) x 9.5 cm (w) x 1.5 cm (d)
Weight:
20 g
Ref:
AMU-103
References:
Al-Jadir, S. (1996). Kunuz. Casablanca: LAK International, pp. 290 & 342
An amulet (hirz in Arabic) is an object worn by a person as a form of protection. It is believed to ward off all danger and protect the person from all harm. Often it will be combined with beads or worn on a chain as a piece of jewellery. Some amulets contain verses from the Qur'an as perceived added protection. The amulets in our collection include Tuareg tcherot, Yemeni prayer boxes, boghdad and Tuareg crosses.
