11th century
Iran
Object qualities
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Object
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Type of arts & crafts
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MediumGold; filigree, granulation
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SizeDiam. 2 13/16 in. (7.1 cm) D. 3/16 in. (0.5 cm) Wt. 0.9 oz. (25.5 g)
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Geography detailsMade in
Iran -
Country today
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Date11th 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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This splendid gold roundel exemplifies the refinement of Seljuq goldsmithing by virtue of its construction and combination of techniques. The filigree on the surface is laid on a ground of thin, gold strips arranged in concentric circles, a technique influenced by contemporaneous jewelry from Syria and the Fatimid dynasty in Egypt. The object resembles a sunburst, and its central element, now lost, might have been a gem or gold dome surrounded by six stars, symbolizing the planets. It could have been sewn onto a man’s headdress, as seen in images of Seljuq grandees.