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Good day
I am trying to figure out more about this holder. It is brass and a white metal. Can't find any makers mark. The front do have Arabic writing on it. Any help is welcome
Groete
Jannie

Hello Jannie

This is an amulet designed to be hung around the neck or perhaps from a garment.

See a related piece at https://omanisilver.com/contents/en-us/ ... ulets.html You will need to scroll down a bit to find the "Oman amulet with a magic quadrant".

If you google "magic squares bedouin silver" you ought to find another related image on a commecial site.

The 3 x 3 squares on your item each contain a number and the three numbers in each column or row or major diagonal add up to 15. I don't know if 15 has any particular significance.

There is additional information at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_squ ... lim_Iberia and there is a suggestion that such an amulet with 3 x 3 squares is associated with child bearing.

A very interesting piece. Thanks for posting.

Damon

Damon wrote:Hello Jannie

This is an amulet designed to be hung around the neck or perhaps from a garment.

See a related piece at https://omanisilver.com/contents/en-us/ ... ulets.html You will need to scroll down a bit to find the "Oman amulet with a magic quadrant".

If you google "magic squares bedouin silver" you ought to find another related image on a commecial site.

The 3 x 3 squares on your item each contain a number and the three numbers in each column or row or major diagonal add up to 15. I don't know if 15 has any particular significance.

There is additional information at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_squ ... lim_Iberia and there is a suggestion that such an amulet with 3 x 3 squares is associated with child bearing.

A very interesting piece. Thanks for posting.

Damon

Thanks Damon, I was wondering what the numerals in the blocks represents. The object is actually a box with lid.
Here are some more images

Groete
Jannie

Hello Jannie

Thanks for the additional photos. I had not appreciated the size or depth of your item

I now think it is a Quran box, likely from North Africa

If you google "Morocco Quran box" you will find similar items including some with the nine numbers in the 3 X 3 square

Damon