Seals and Talismans

The Nasser D. Khalili Collection contains the largest, and one of the most important, assemblages of Islamic seals in the world. The majority of the 2200 objects, with 300 talismans, are reproduced here in colour, and essays analyse their use, decoration, fabrication and origins.

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The Nasser D Khalili Collection holds around 2,200 hardstone and metal seals, making it the largest such collection in the world, by far outstripping the nearest rival, the Hermitage in St Petersburg. Mostly craved from chalcedony or carnelian, the seals are inscribed in Arabic or Persian. While the majority are of Ottoman, Iranian, or Mughal origin and date from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries, the items of the seventh and thirteenth centuries, termed here the 'Classical' period constitute a collection of considerable importance. There are also over 300 talismans, most in semi-precious stones. The present volume publishes a photographic record and complete description of the majority of these items. The contributors analyse the employment of seals, both official and private, throughout the Islamic lands; the script and decoration found on them; the materials and techniques used in fabrication; and the existence of some intriguing forgeries. This book is intended for art historians, Islamicists, collectors and curators of Islamic art, gem collectors, specialist art trade, some students, and general readers. With contributions from: Rogers, J. M.;
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