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Fatimid plank with men with swords and shields
A larger image of this Fatimid plank with men with swords and shields, Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo
Hegira 5th century / AD 11th century, Fatimid
Wood; decorated with low-relief carving
This item is an example of carving on wood from the Fatimid period, influenced by Abbasid styles from Samarra that spread all over the Islamic world. Decoration is based on hunting scenes and animal shapes on a background of vegetation.
Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo, Egypt. Museum with no Frontiers
Referenced as figure 153 in The military technology of classical Islam by D Nicolle
153. Wooden panels from the Fāṭimid Palace, 11th century AD, Fatimid, Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo
Vol. 1 p22: The great majority of art sources, however, portray swords that have tips that are either so rounded as to make a thrusting blow impossible or are so regularly broad along their length as to be clearly designed for cut rather than thrust. In the 7th century (Figs. 111, 112, 113, 114, 116 and 141), 8th century (Figs. 118, 102 and 470), 9th century (Figs. 143, 202, 447 and 502), 10th century (Figs. 213A, 316, 317, 347, 350, 354, 496, 505 and 507) and 11th century (Figs. 153, 194, 361, 363, 497, 499, 517 and 597) these forms of sword clearly predominated throughout the Muslim world.
Other carvings on wooden planks referenced:
Fatimid Wood Carving with Hunters.
Fatimid Wooden Plank with Carved Lion Hunt.
Fatimid Wooden Plank with Mounted Hunter with Lance.
Fatimid Wooden Plank with Running Soldier.
Wooden panel decorated with human, animal and floral decorations.
Egypt – Fatimid
5th A.H /11th A.D century
MIA no. 3473
These panels once adorned the palaces of the Fatimid caliphs in al-Mu’izz street between Zweila and al-Futuh gates. The palaces were decorated with scenes from daily life drawn from hunting, music, dancing, and drinking activities. The decorations were applied in several layers, reflecting the artisan’s talent in the Fatimid period. Those panels were reused to decorate the huge architectural complex of the mamluk sultan al-Mansūr Qalāwūn in al-Mu’izz street in 684AH/1285AD
Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo.
