Images of the Virgin Mary in Mughal Art

Images of the Virgin Mary in Mughal Art Mika Natif Synopsis: The Virgin Mary (Maryam) became a popular image among the Mughal ruling elite from the late 16th to the mid-17th century. Her depiction appears in single-page pictures set in albums, on wall paintings in Mughal palaces, and within illustrated manuscripts. This presentation focuses on…

Two Islamic Amulets in the Aga Khan Museum

Two Islamic Amulets in the Aga Khan Museum: Inked Surfaces, Hidden Stories Christiane Gruber Synopsis: Humans have sought protection from pain, harm, and negative forces since time immemorial. In Muslim lands, invocations to God and verses from the Qur’an are believed to be especially protective, and so appear on various objects over the centuries. Discover…

The Nîshans of the Yezidis of Northern Iraq

The Nîshans of the Yezidis of Northern Iraq Eszter Spät  Synopsis: This presentation explores the nature and role of the nîshans or sacred objects of the Yezidi “priestly” lineages in Northern Iraq. Such nîshans, literally meaning “signs,” are also referred to as hadimas or “seals.” They function both as symbols and proofs of the special descent of the…

Prayer Carpets

Prayer Carpets Sumru Belger Krody Synopsis: This presentation focuses on a type of textile object that is an integral part of Islamic devotion: namely, the prayer carpet. Textiles in Islamic society fulfill far more than the functions normally expected of them. Among them, prayer carpets hold a special place. These knotted-pile carpets are placed on…

Hajj Materials and Rites from Egypt

Hajj Materials and Rites from Egypt Richard McGregor Synopsis: The pre-modern pilgrimage to Mecca, or hajj, included several public rituals that contributed significantly to Islamic visual culture. Perhaps the two most prominent were those associated with the mahmal (litter) and the kiswa (covering) of the Ka‘ba. For centuries, both of these textile objects were produced in Egypt, and celebrated with…

Touching Mecca and Medina: The Dalā’il al-Khayrāt and Devotional Practices

Touching Mecca and Medina: The Dalā’il al-Khayrāt and Devotional Practices Sabiha Göloğlu Synopsis:  This presentation explores a double-page painting of Mecca and Medina included in a late eighteenth-century Ottoman copy of the renowned prayer book entitled Dala’il al-Khayrat (Proofs of Good Deeds). This painting is important because it bears traces of devotional engagement with the images…

A Safavid Painting of the Prophet Muhammad’s Miʿraj

A Safavid Painting of the Prophet Muhammad’s Miʿraj Christiane Gruber Synopsis: This presentation explores a 16th-century Persian manuscript painting that depicts the Prophet Muhammad’s celestial ascension (mi’raj). It focuses in particular on the Prophet’s facial veil and his flaming aureole as well as their relationship to metaphorical expressions as found in Persian Sufi poetry. It…