Prophylactic cup

Prophylactic cup

Syria, 15th-18th century

Engraved tin-plated brass umbilical dish. The interior is engraved with interlaced cartouches and arcatures animated with "naskhi" inscriptions around the umbilicus decorated with "thuluth" inscriptions and a star-shaped polygon. The exterior is adorned with a wide "thuluth" band, underlined by seven naskhi lines (the last very faded), the reverse of the umbilicus with a thuluth band and a six-pointed star-shaped polygon (Khetma slemaniyya). D. 18.5 cm Condition: severe erosion of the inscriptions. Provenance: Former collection of Mr D. M. (1942-2017) These prophylactic dishes were widely used in the Muslim world until relatively recently. It is sometimes difficult to assign a precise date to them, so much have their motifs been eroded by use. For other dishes of the same type, see the catalog of the exhibition À l'ombre d'Avicenne. La médecine au temps des califes, Paris, IMA, Nov. 18, 1996 - March 2, 1997, p. 226-227. A brass prophylactic bowl, Syria (?), 16th-18th century