The girdle is made of a flexible, interlace mesh and has eleven movable retainers with large rhombic attachments, each with two tear-shaped pendants, and twelve
retainers with smaller rhombic attachments, each with one pendant. All attachments were cast. Small rings and rosettes frame the large rhombic elements, and three-ring motif with burling rosettes accompany the smaller ones at their top and bottom. The clasps are also decorated with a large rhombic elements. A wire shaped in a figure-eight with a rosette is used as a closing element.
On the front of the clasps is an Arabic stamp with the name of the ruler and a date: al-Mahdi 1170. The similarity to stamps of al-Mahdi al-"Abbas makes it likely that the
pendants were produced under his reign from AH 1161 to 1189 (AD 1748-1775).
An engraved inscription on the back of the clasp names the silversmith: Musa "Iraqi. For another object by Musa "Iraqi, see Walters 57.2321.For the latest information about this object, girdles (belts), visit art.thewalters.org.Dynasty: Inscriptions: [Stamp] In Arabic: al-Mahdi 1170; [Engraved] In Hebrew: Musa IraqiReign: Al-Mahdi al-Abbas (1170 AH/AD 1756-1757)Style:
The broad silver headband consists of a flexible, tightly interlaced band, which has shield-shaped end-pieces and seven movable retainers with rhombic elements. End-pieces and retainers are executed in embossing and filigree technique; in addition they are gilded and the background is filled with green enamel. The floral decor on the end pieces combines different shaped leaves and stalks; and the rhombic elements display four three-foil attachments arranged around a central five-ball granulation cluster. The motifs of the end-pieces and retainers are framed with bead-molding borders. Such silver headbands formed the basis of a woman's headpiece. The large loops at the end-pieces were used to fix the band at the headscarf, and the smaller loops on the rhombic elements to fasten smaller (often ball-shaped) dangles. Headpieces such as this were common in northern regions of Yemen.
The back of the end pieces has an Arabic stamp with the name of the ruling imam and the date: al-Mahdi 1171. Al-Mahdi al-"Abbas was the imam of Yemen from AH 1161 to 1189 (AD 1748-1775), and belonged to then Qasimid family. In 1762/63 he met the German explorer Carsten Niebuhr, who reported on this encounter.
An engraving in Hebrew on the back of the other end-piece names the silversmith: Sa'id "Iraqi. The Hebrew script clearly states that the silversmith was Jewish, and the name indicates that he or his family originally came from Iraq.For the latest information about this object, headbands, visit art.thewalters.org.Dynasty: Qasimid DynastyInscriptions: [Stamp] In Arabic: al-Mahdi 1171; [Engraved] In Hebrew: Sa'id 'Iraqi
Reign: Al-Mahdi al-‘Abbas (AD 1748-1775)Style:
The headband consists of a flexible interlaced silver band with square endpieces, each with rosette-shaped knob that fastens the band inside the terminals. The band is decorated with a large central rosette in the center, which is combined with a smaller rosette and a dangle below. Two smaller disk with rosettes on each side of the large central rosette are directly attached to the band. In addition, between end-pieces, discs, and the central rosette are four combinations of rhombic elements flanked by slim bars with a five-disc motif, each of which is attached to a movable retainer. The rhombic elements are decorated with smaller rhombs in the center enclosed by rings and disks. The decoration of the attachments is made in filigree technique; the large central rosette is worked in repoussé. Hanging down from the band are forty-five multi-element dangles, which combine rings, disks, and small cuboids.
At the back of one endpiece is a stamp with the Arabic date: nusfi (128)7 (the term nusfi means "half"). In this year al-Hadi Galib ruled in Sana"a', but also Saykh Muhsin b. "Ali Mu'id. It was one year before the second Ottoman occupation of Yemen began. On the back of the other end-piece is an engraved Hebrew inscription that names the silversmith: Shm(uel) Sharayan, mahasit. The term mahasit means "half."For the latest information about this object, headbands, visit art.thewalters.org.Dynasty: Inscriptions: [Stamp] In Arabic: nusfi (128)7 AH; [Engraved] In Hebrew: Sm(uel) Sarayan, mahasitReign: Al-Hadi Galib (1287 AH/AD 1870-1871) (?)Style:
Walters manuscript leaf W.708, a painting depicting women in various states of undress bathing on the bank of a river, is attributable to the early 12th century AH/AD 18th. It was likely made in Rajasthan. The biscuit-colored border is gold-flecked.For the latest information about this object, illuminated manuscripts; folios (leaves), visit art.thewalters.org.Dynasty: Rajput DynastyInscriptions: Reign: Style:
Walters manuscript leaf W.708, a painting depicting women in various states of undress bathing on the bank of a river, is attributable to the early 12th century AH/AD 18th. It was likely made in Rajasthan. The biscuit-colored border is gold-flecked.For the latest information about this object, illuminated manuscripts; folios (leaves), visit art.thewalters.org.Dynasty: Rajput DynastyInscriptions: Reign: Style:
This folio, Walters manuscript leaf W.708, is the back of an image of women bathing by the bank of a river.For the latest information about this object, illuminated manuscripts; folios (leaves), visit art.thewalters.org.Dynasty: Rajput DynastyInscriptions: Reign: Style:
Walters manuscript W.593 is an illuminated and illustrated copy of a Persian version of the famous 'Aja'ib al-makhluqat (Wonders of creation) by Zakariya' al-Qazwini (died 682 AH/AD 1283), composed by Shams al-Din Muhammad al-Tusi (active 6th century AH/AD 12th). The text, in black Nasta'liq script, may have been written by an Iranian scribe in the 10th century AH/AD 16th in Ottoman Turkey. It opens with an illuminated medallion inscribed with the author's name (fol. 1a), followed by a double-page illuminated incipit (fols. 1b-2a). The text is illustrated with 181 paintings of different sizes that offer an interesting iconography for Tusi manuscripts. The red leather binding is not contemporary with the manuscript and probably dates to the 13th century AH/AD 19th.For the latest information about this object, illuminated manuscripts; folios (leaves), visit art.thewalters.org.Dynasty: Inscriptions: Reign: Style:
This illuminated manuscript, Walters manuscript W.580, is volume 3 of a work on the duties of Muslims toward the Prophet Muhammad known as al-Shifa' by 'Iyad al-Yashubi (died 544 AH/AD 1149). It was copied in the12th century AH/AD 18th in the Maghreb. The text is written in Maghribii script in black ink with certain words highlighted in red and blue. The manuscript opens with an illuminated titlepiece indicating that it is volume 3 of al-Shifa' (fol. 2a), which is followed by a double-page frontispiece (fols. 2b-3a) and a page with another illuminated titlepiece (fol. 3b). It concludes with an illuminated explicit with tailpiece inscribed with the prayer for the Prophet Muhammad (fol. 140a). The binding is reddish-brown goatskin with a gold-tooled frame and a central medallion of geometric design with two pendants.For the latest information about this object, illuminated manuscripts, visit art.thewalters.org.Dynasty: Inscriptions: Reign: Style:
Walters manuscript W.586 is an illuminated copy of the popular work on the duties of Muslims toward the Prophet Muhammad known as al-Shifa' by 'Iyad al-Yahsubi (died 544 AH/AD 1149). According to the colophon, it was completed in 1191 AH/AD 1777 by Salim al-Rashid. The text is written in Turkish Naskh script in black ink with incidentals in red and gold. The dark brown leather binding is contemporary with the manuscript.For the latest information about this object, illuminated manuscripts, visit art.thewalters.org.Dynasty: Ottoman DynastyInscriptions: Reign: Style:
This folio from Walters manuscript W.658 contains a world map in a double hemisphere.For the latest information about this object, illuminated manuscripts; folios (leaves); maps, visit art.thewalters.org.Dynasty: Inscriptions: Reign: Style:
This folio from Walters manuscript W.659 depicts a yellow wallflower and a plant called zazyabaj.For the latest information about this object, illuminated manuscripts; folios (leaves), visit art.thewalters.org.Dynasty: Ottoman DynastyInscriptions: Reign: Style:
In this folio from Walters manuscript W.649, the Mughal Emperor Akbar attempts to dissuade the young Hindu girl from committing sati (self-immolation).For the latest information about this object, illuminated manuscripts; folios (leaves), visit art.thewalters.org.Dynasty: Safavid DynastyInscriptions: Reign: Style: