AN OTTOMAN TALISMANIC SHIRT (JAMA) WITH CALLIGRAPHIC INSCRIP...

Estimate

£800 - £1,000

AN OTTOMAN TALISMANIC SHIRT (JAMA) WITH CALLIGRAPHIC INSCRIPTIONS AND MAGIC SQUARES, 19th/20TH CENTURY. -

An Ottoman talismanic shirt, also known as a jama, constructed from a cream-coloured cotton or linen textile. The garment is a short-sleeved, tunic-style shirt featuring dense calligraphic and geometric decoration across its entire surface. The inscriptions are rendered in polychrome inks, including black, blue, red, green, and ochre. The layout is organised into architectural frames, cartouches, and grids. The front panels contain two large rectangular sections with prominent blue inscriptions. The right panel features the Basmala (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم), while the left panel contains the opening verse of Surah Al-Fath (إنا �تحنا ل� �تحا مبينا). The back panel displays a complex central diamond-shaped frame enclosing a circular calligraphic roundel, surrounded by a grid containing the Asma al-Husna (the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah). The surface is further covered with esoteric magic squares (wafq) and numerical grids. Decorative elements include foliate motifs on the shoulders and borders with repeating star patterns. The collar and front slit are finished with green silk or cotton binding. The garment was intended to provide spiritual or physical protection to the wearer, often in battle or during illness. The use of the 99 Names of Allah and specific Quranic verses like Surah Al-Fath (The Victory) serves a protective and success-oriented talismanic purpose, while the magic squares (wafq).

H: Approximately 79.5cm

L: Approximately 85.5cm