I have actually chosen to describe two objects for this blog
post because they are inseparable: these two star-shaped tiles dating from the
mid-thirteenth century once formed part of the same wall in an Iranian shrine. Shaped
in the form of an interlocking square and diamond, they contain floral patterns
in the middle and calligraphy around the perimeter. From certain angles, the
tiles appear to be composed of two colors, namely a brown-gold and a
contrasting white. However, from other angles a strikingly beautiful
iridescence emerges due to the nature of the metallic glaze applied to the
tiles. Objects with this glaze are known as lusterware.
The reason I have chosen these two tiles for my blog post is
because they wonderfully illustrate how in the medieval Islamic world scribal
work was not a mind-numbing, menial task but an art form in itself. This can be
seen in the level of care accorded to the words of these objects. The color
scheme reverses in the location of the writing, drawing attention to it.
Fascinatingly, a close inspection of the floral region of the tiles reveals
that some lines are not drawn precisely, giving the impression of a “rushed” work
of art. The calligraphy, nevertheless, seems to have been carefully executed. It
neatly wraps around the tiles, and without many obviously long lines to fill up
extra space the writing perfectly fits around the circumference. This suggests
a high level of care on the part of the scribe in crafting these phrases, which
is only natural when we consider that they are phrases from the Quran. In fact,
one of the tiles contains instructions for prayer, and given that it was
located in a shrine, the scribe has found a way to combine beauty and function
in this scribal object.
Care, and purpose. It is good to see these two tiles reunited in your post, to try to think of their organicity - how they were part of a larger whole, how they fit into a larger design, although that probably cannot be fully reconstructed. The contrast between the care given to each tile individually and the mechanism that brought them to function together, no doubt not to be read either, but to produce meaning with writing and craft in a different way. They truly are beautiful as a pair. Also, as phrases from the Qur'an, the inscriptions are all properly vocalized - all those diacritical marks above and below the letters. A fine pick!
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