Description:

Iran, ca. 12th-13th century CE. Coco de Mer Palm seed with carved inscription and designs; lustrous, dark, highly-aged patina. Iron, bronze and brass chain attachment. 18"L.

Provenance: Dr. and Mrs. Richard Pollack collection, Oh and Fl, since the 1980's.

Kashkūls carried the donations on which dervishes relied for sustenance and also functioned as drinking vessels or food containers for wandering ascetics. They simultaneously symbolized the emptying of the Sufi's soul or ego through the renunciation of worldly goods and aspirations, and the nourishment of that soul with divine knowledge. Many kashkūls bear inscriptions invoking God, the house of the prophet Muhammad, or the twelve Shiʿa imams. The bowls were produced in a variety of media and were held or hung from the shoulder by metal chains. The earliest examples, such as this classic example, date to the thirteenth or fourteenth century, but their form may have been derived from crescent- and boat-shaped wine bowls made in pre-Islamic Iran. This example was made from the nutshell of the coco-de-mer palm native to Seychelles Island of the Indian Ocean. The shells' lengthy sea voyage to the shores of Iran carries special significance as a metaphor for the Sufi's mystical journey. The top of this example shows a paradisiacal scene of birds in flowering, fruit laden trees.

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

  • Condition: Intact and very fine; wonderful and extensive preservation of exterior design and shell, itself. Shows much age and handling, overall.

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June 13, 2014 9:00 AM MDT
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Artemis Fine Arts

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