Museum of Islamic Art - photos
Photos and information of a selection of exhibits shown at the Museum of Islamic Art, located in the Pergamon Museum on the Berlin Museum Island.
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11th century, origin not clearly assignable
ivory, cut, carved
length: 50 cm, diameter: 11,5 cm
Slightly curved blowing horn made of ivory. The carved, relief decoration consists of three zones: Sound zone, middle zone and blowing zone. Each zone shows medallions filled with different animal depictions and is separated from the other zones by two bands of wavy tendrils with palm leaves and an unpatterned strip for the metal bands to which the eyelets for hanging were attached. Various animals are partly stylized, partly naturalistically represented within the medallions. Lions, hares, ibexes, gazelles, peacocks and birds of prey, hyenas or golden jackals and mythical creatures can be recognized, turning sometimes to the left and sometimes to the right. Vegetable motives, probably stylized grapes, are shown between the medallions. Other vegetal motifs fill the spaces between the medallions. The ends of the sound and blowing zones are smooth.
The Olifant used to be equipped with a mount. It is likely that the horns were originally used in a ceremonial context.
(Text: SMB-digital, online collections database. Transl.: UiU)
© Photos: Haupt & Binder
Photos and information of a selection of exhibits shown at the Museum of Islamic Art, located in the Pergamon Museum on the Berlin Museum Island.