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Tile from a Frieze

13th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 455
This tile bearing verses from the Qur’an may have once formed part of a calligraphic frieze within a tomb or religious structure. Written in thuluth script, the raised text from Sura 62 (Al-Jumu‘ah), Verse 9 demands that believers join in Friday prayer. The narrow bands of naskh script above and below also contain Qur’anic verses, here painted in luster over an opaque white glaze. Perhaps set at eye-level above a dado of geometric tiles, the full group would have once formed a continuous band of text. A total of twenty tiles from this frieze are known to exist, including eight in the Museum’s collection.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Tile from a Frieze
  • Date: 13th century
  • Geography: Attributed to Iran, Kashan
  • Medium: Stonepaste; inglaze painted in blue and turquoise and luster-painted on opaque white glaze
  • Dimensions: H. 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm)
    W. 15 3/4 in. (40 cm)
    D: 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm)
  • Classification: Ceramics-Tiles
  • Credit Line: Museum Accession
  • Object Number: x.111
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Tile from an Inscriptional Frieze, Stonepaste; inglaze painted in blue and turquoise, luster-painted on opaque white glaze, modeled
Tile from an Inscriptional Frieze
early 14th century
Pierced Jug with Harpies and Sphinxes, Stonepaste; openwork, underglaze-painted, glazed in transparent turquoise
Pierced Jug with Harpies and Sphinxes
dated 612 AH/1215–16 CE
Star-Shaped Tile, Stonepaste; inglaze painted in blue and turquoise and luster-painted on opaque white glaze
Star-Shaped Tile
13th–14th century
Star-Shaped Tile, Stonepaste; inglaze painted in blue and turquoise and luster-painted on opaque white glaze
Star-Shaped Tile
13th–14th century
Star-Shaped Tile, Stonepaste; inglaze painted in blue and turquoise and luster-painted on opaque white glaze
Star-Shaped Tile
13th–14th century

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