10th century
Town Nishapur,
Iran
Iran
Object qualities
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Objectmansion / palace decoration: Dado panel
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Type of arts & crafts
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MediumStucco; carved, with some cast plaster elements
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SizeH. 57 in. (144.8 cm) W. 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm) D. 4 in. (10.2 cm) Wt: 95 lbs. (43.1 kg)
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Geography detailsExcavated in
Town Nishapur,
Iran -
Country today
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Date10th century
Source of information
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Type of sourceDatabase “Metropolitan Museum of Art”
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Fund that the source refers toMetropolitan Museum of Art
Description
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The writing on this panel reads al-akhirin, or “posterity.” As the last word in the Qur’anic verse 26:4 (“And ordain for me a goodly mention among posterity”), its presence here may indicate that the rest of this inscription once went around the room where the panel was found. Although calligraphy adorned several of the buildings at Nishapur, this panel was the only inscribed architectural panel found in a domestic setting, perhaps indicating the building was also used for religious purposes.