Speaker Details
Dr
Karl R. Schaefer
Drake University
United States of America
Presentation Abstract:
Four Medieval Block Prints in the Gayer-Anderson Museum The majority of the known medieval Arabic block prints are held in museums and libraries in Europe and North America, but there is a small number known to exist in Egypt. Among these are four unpublished examples in the Gayer-Anderson Museum (Bayt al-Kritliyya) in Cairo. Three of the block prints are texts and the third is unique in that it bears the imprints of three images, two animal forms and what appears to be a representation of a piece of jewelry. While two of the texts are only fragmentary, taken together they provide further evidence for a vigorous and vital enterprise devoted primarily to satisfying the need of a segment of the population for psychological reassurance concerning their daily well-being. Since we know of no surviving historical record which details the method of production of the block printed amulets, nor who produced them, any understanding of their manufacture must be derived from close examination of the surviving examples. This paper will attempt to develop a theoretical typology for Arabic medieval block printed amulets based in part on the evidence provided by the four block prints held in the Gayer-Anderson Museum. Both stylistic and linguistic elements will be taken into consideration for this purpose.
Status: Confirmed