POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Tribal amulet طلسم عشایری

Object No. N15525

This tribal amulet (telesm) was handcrafted in 20th century Persia (Iran). It is made of Persian green jade (yashm-e sabz), probably by a tribal artisan of the Bakhtiari tribes in the 1930s. The amulet might have been used as a protection necklace (gardanband) or breast pendant (sineh aviz) to protect babies. The amulet’s shape follows the general design of Persian tribal necklaces. The engraved talismanic inscription on the surface is the famous Shia Muslim text of Nad-e Ali, commonly used for health protection. The remarkable physical condition of this amulet indicates that it was never used and was probably sold to a collector in an urban market in the city of Isfahan or Shiraz. This tribal amulet (telesm) is one of the few objects in the Powerhouse collection that originates from the pastoral nomads and small communities of south-west Persia (Iran). Engraved inscription نادِ عَلیاً مَظهَرَالعَجائِب تَجِدهُ عَوَناً لَکَ فِی النَوّائِب لی اِلیَ اللهِ حاجَتی وَعَلَیهِ مُعَوَّلی کُلَّما اَمَرتَهُ وَرَمَیتُ مُنقَضی فی ظِلِّ اللهِ وَیُضِلل اللهُ لی اَدعُوکَ کُلَّ هَمٍ وَغَمًّ سَیَنجَلی بِعَظَمَتِکَ یا اللهُ بِنُبُوَّتِکَ یامُحَمَّدَ بِوَلایَتِکَ یاعَلِیُّ یاعَلِیُّ یاعَلِیُّ. Call Ali, who is Manifestor of wonders, Thou shall surely find him helper in your difficulties, all grief and sorrow shall be removed. I submit my temporal wishes to Thee on whom I trust and always referred Thee to bestow fulfillment of temporal wishes. O! Having Thee bestowed support, O! Thee Appointed Wali, All grief and Sorrows will disappear, By Thee by Thy tremendousness O! Lord, By Thee by Thy Apostleship O! Mohammad, - Blessings of Thee on Thy Apostle & descendants, By Thee by Thy granted Power & Authority of Wail, O Ali, O Ali, O Ali. Dr Pedram Khosronejad, Curator of Persian Arts, 2021