Calligraphic Tomb Cover

Silk with a zigzag design densely filled with Islamic inscriptions in Arabic. Textiles of such design and coloration were especially made to line tombs in Mecca and Medina. Contact with the holy places imbued these covers with divine powers and when taken back they were cut into fragments that were preserved as relics. The largest inscription is the Islamic declaration of faith while the rest are Quranic quotes.