Ostrich Egg
Before 1889
| Artist/Maker |
Shell of an ostrich egg, pierced at both ends, with an inscription in Arabic and ornament shown in reserve against engraved areas darkened with a black pigment. This decoration is organized to create two main faces, both framed by a single continuous band of ornament featuring knot motifs, scrolls set with half-palmettes, and small tulips in outline. At the centre of each face is the Arabic inscription, set within a pointed-oval medallion with a complex outline, against a background set with fragments of scrollwork. The ornament is based on designs of the late Mamluk period (1468-1517), but with non-Mamluk features, e.g. comparatively large knots and tulips in outline, and it can be attributed to the 19th century, but before 1889 (acquisition date). The egg was probably made for non-Muslim tourists, which would explain why the inscription has been deliberately altered by removing one letter from the name of God, i.e. to save His name from desecration by non-believers.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Shell of an ostrich egg, pierced at both ends, engraved in reserve with an inscription in Arabic and complex ornament, the engraved areas darkened with a black pigment. |
| Physical description | Shell of an ostrich egg, pierced at both ends, with an inscription in Arabic and ornament shown in reserve against engraved areas darkened with a black pigment. This decoration is organized to create two main faces, both framed by a single continuous band of ornament featuring knot motifs, scrolls set with half-palmettes, and small tulips in outline. At the centre of each face is the Arabic inscription, set within a pointed-oval medallion with a complex outline, against a background set with fragments of scrollwork. The ornament is based on designs of the late Mamluk period (1468-1517), but with non-Mamluk features, e.g. comparatively large knots and tulips in outline, and it can be attributed to the 19th century, but before 1889 (acquisition date). The egg was probably made for non-Muslim tourists, which would explain why the inscription has been deliberately altered by removing one letter from the name of God, i.e. to save His name from desecration by non-believers. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | توكلت على الله
(The word Allah (God) has been mispelled.)
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| Object history | The accession registers for the Bethnal Green Museum record that this egg was acquired together with AP.11-1889 on 24th Janunary 1889. They were originally given the same Museum number, but on 13th February 1889 this egg was "transferred to the Art Division", i.e. South Kensington Museum. It was registered by the Furniture Department the following day, and given its own Museum number. The two registers record that Mr Matchwick (the first curator of the Bethnal Green Museum) bought the two eggs for £2 from Miss E. Cutter, of 35 Great Russell Street, WC (a 'W. Cutter' of the same address also appears in the Bethnal Green Museum registers). |
| Associated object | |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 94-1889 |
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| Record created | October 25, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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