Fatimid Pectoral Decorations?
November 2013, revised July 2016
Revised September 2018
November 2013, revised July 2016
Revised September 2018
Recently I gathered several extant images of Fatimid people into
one folder. Reviewing them side by side, I was intrigued to find an unexpected theme in them. There frequently appears
to be a pectoral decoration on tunics. The adornment seems to appear on both men and
women, however in many of the images the decoration is not clearly defined.
Please share links to images you might have with this detail.
Please share links to images you might have with this detail.
Name
of Object: Large dish
Holding
Museum: Museum of Islamic Art Cairo, Egypt
Museum
Inventory Number: 14923
Dimensions:
Diameter 40 cm
Material(s)
/ Technique(s): Ceramic with metallic lustre decoration over a glazed surface.
Date
of the object: Hegira 5th century / AD 11th century
Period
/ Dynasty Fatimid
Samia's note: This one is interesting because there could be a bare belly as well. The figure is likely masculine because of the turban, the wide-set eyebrows, the lack of curls at the temples.
ICM-36 Fatimid 28cm 11th cent. CE SVI270107 web
"All the Fatimid ceramics are from the Islamic Ceramics Museum (ICM) in
Cairo, a beautifully kept collection in a beautiful palace. We
photographed all the Fatimid objects and shall post them as they are
edited. By the way, this is one of the very few museums where
photography is allowed without SCA permission." http://www.flickr.com/photos/horemachet/375913301/
Samia's note: This one is interesting because there appears to be a bare belly as well. The figure is not gender-defined. There is a typically-male turban; typically female grown-together eyebrows; something like a sideburn, but not the typically-female curl; apparently long hair.
accessed
1/23/11
* Title/name : Bowl with female dancer
* Production place : Fatimid Egypt
* Date / period : First half of the
eleventh century
* Materials and techniques : Ceramic with
lustred decoration on opaque glaze
* Dimensions : Height 6.7cm; Diameter 26.1
cm
* Conservation town : Washington D. C
* Conservation place : Smithsonian
Institution, Freer Gallery of Art
* Inventory number : 46.30
Samia's note: Likely a female dancer. Typically-female grown-together eyebrows; typically-female curls at the temple; some scholars believe the scarf-dance pose seen here is typically-female.
Plate Purchase F1941.12
12th century, Fatimid period Earthenware painted over glaze with luster
H: 7.0 W: 9.2 cm
Egypt
Samia's note: Probably male. Hunting scenes (with birds of prey) do not appear to include women in this period. Typically-male turban; typically-male wide-set eyebrows.
ICM-13 27,5cm 12th cent. CE SVI270107 web
"All the Fatimid ceramics are from the Islamic Ceramics Museum (ICM) in
Cairo, a beautifully kept collection in a beautiful palace. We
photographed all the Fatimid objects and shall post them as they are
edited. By the way, this is one of the very few museums where
photography is allowed without SCA permission." http://www.flickr.com/photos/horemachet/375913301/
Samia's note: Probably male. Hunting scenes (with birds of prey) do not appear to include women in this period. Probably a beard, as it does not cover the nose like a veil generally would; typically-male wide-set eyebrows; indeterminate head wear.
accessed
1/23/11
* Title/name : Dish with giraffe
*
Author : Attributed to ‘Muslim’
* Production place : Egypt
* Date / period : End of the tenth to the
beginning of the eleventh century
* Materials and techniques : Clay-paste
ceramics; lustred decoration over opaque glaze
* Dimensions : Diameter 24cm
* Conservation town : Athens
* Conservation place : The Benaki Museum
* Inventory number : 749
Samia's note: Probably male. Other work scenes from near this period show that men will hike up the tunic when working while women will not; typically-male wide-set eyebrows; indeterminate head wear.
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