Objects from the Nihavand find
Found at Nihavand, western Iran
11th-12th century AD
Belonging to 'the eminent courtier'
These silver objects were discovered together in Nihavand, in
western Iran, along with a small gold wine-bowl, also in The
British Museum. The find included an amulet case in nielloed
silver, with its lid missing. Both sides of the case are decorated
in repoussé technique with a peacock, surrounded by an inscription
of sura 112 of the Qur'an, which translates: 'Say: He is
God, One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, and has
not been begotten, and equal to him is not any one.' The end of the
case is decorated with a lion, in high relief.
The find also revealed two different series of silver plaques,
to be attached to leather belts (or horse-trappings). One series is
made using the repoussé technique, and has a bevelled design. The
other series is decorated in a finer scrolling pattern against a
black nielloed ground.
A buckle-ring from the same find names the owner of these
precious items: Abu Shujac Inju Takin, 'the eminent
courtier'. This is a Turkish name, and it is most likely that Abu
Shujac was an official of the Seljuk Empire. The Seljuks
were a Central Asian Turkish dynasty, which established an empire
across the Islamic world, from Eastern Iran to Anatolia, during the
eleventh century. This empire gradually disintegrated at the end of
the twelfth century. The belt was an emblem of rank in Turkish
societies, sometimes presented by the ruler to a deserving
courtier. Abu Shujac's fine gilded silver belt may show
that he was an official with important social standing.
R. Ward, Islamic metalwork (London, The British Museum Press, 1993)
B. Gray, 'A Seljuq hoard from Persia', The British Museum Quarterly-5, 13: 3 (1938-39), pp. 73-79, plates 32-33
R. Hasson, Early Islamic jewellery (L.A. Mayer Memorial Institute for Islamic Art, Jerusalem, 1987)