Finial with Inscription "Ya Khafar" ("Oh, Protector!")

17th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 462

Finials such as this example likely came from the tops of standards ('alams) carried in Shi'i processions to commemorate the martyrdom of Husain, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, at the battle of Karbala. The 'alams signify the battle standards carried by Husain and his band of supporters. These finials are datable to the seventeenth century, a period in which the Shi'i religious orthodoxy was particularly pronounced in Iran.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Finial with Inscription "Ya Khafar" ("Oh, Protector!")
Date: 17th century
Geography: Attributed to probably Iran
Medium: Steel; inlaid with gold on front and silver foil overlay on reverse
Dimensions: Overall:
H. 7 1/2 in. (19 cm)
W. 4 3/4 in. (12 cm)
With brackets:
H. 7 1/2 in. (19 cm)
Without brackets:
H. 6 7/8 in. (17.5 cm)
Classification: Metal
Credit Line: Purchase, Richard S. Perkins Gift, 1982
Object Number: 1982.44
Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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