МАЭ № 3922-9

Pommel in the form of “Fatima’s hand”

Iranians

early 20th century

brass, white metal

height max 36; width 36

The pommel was used in Shi’ah festival Ashur (Moharra). On these days Shi‘a Muslims hold funerary ceremonies to commemorate the martyrdom of Husayn ibn ‘Ali at the Battle of Karbala on the 10th Muharram of the year 61 of Hijra (680 C.E.).The Shi‘a sacred tradition, Akhbar, pays an important role to the Cult of Martyrs; episodes from the life and death of ‘Ali and Husayn ibn ‘Ali were depicted according to Shi‘a tradition on printed or embroidered curtains.

Ethnography of South and South-West Asia