| Title | Finial, possibly from a Cenotaph |
| Medium | This finial was turned on a lathe from a single piece of wood to form the basic shape of a knob separated from the body by a short neck, leading down into a cylindrical base. Carved in low relief, the monumental yet softly rounded thuluth inscription carries the same weight as the large-scale arabesque decoration with interlacing rumi or split-palmette leaves and trefoil-like flowers. The Arabic inscription proclaims the Shi’a profession of fait: “There is no God but God; Muhammad is the Prophet of God and ‘Ali is the friend of God.” |
| Dimensions | H. 13 in. (33 cm)
Max. Diam. 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm) |
| Classification | Wood |
| Department | Islamic Art |
| Date | late 14th–16th century |
| Credit Line | Louis E. and Theresa S. Seley Purchase Fund for Islamic Art and Rogers Fund, 1988 |
| Object Page | View at The Met |
Islamic ArtWoodlate 14th–16th century