Iran, circa 1344
Height 25.0 cm (9 7/8 in.), length and width 43.2 cm (17 in.)
LNS 35 W
The carved wood box with bronze hinges is grooved, mitred, dovetailed, and painted green. The
interior is divided into four rectangular compartments placed around a central square, in which
was housed Quran manuscripts as well as writing equipment.
The masterful design, rendered in two planes, relies on naskhi calligraphy as its sole decoration.
The Arabic inscriptions encircling the central medallion on the lid states that Izz al-Din Malik,
son of Nasir Allah Muhammad, endowed it to the tomb of Fakhr al-Din. Those along the edges
give the date of the latter's death as Rajab 745 A.H. (November 1344) and mention that the box
was made by al-Hasan, son of Qutlubak, son of the deceased Fakhr al-Din. None of the
individuals mentioned can be identified, but it appears that the maker was the grandson of the
deceased.
Quranic verses from Al-i Imran, the Family of Imran (III: 18-19), appear around the sides of the
box, placed against a ground of dense floral scrolls.
