ISLAMIC. Circa 7th-10th century AD. Amulet (Bronze, 30x21 mm, 5.61 g, 12 h). Inscription in Kufic starting with بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ('Bism Allāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm' = 'In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful' (Qur'an 1:1)) and ending in سلام على نوح في العالمين ('Salāmun ʿalā Nūḥin fī al-ʿālamīn' = 'Peace be upon Noah throughout the worlds' (Qur'an 37:79)); additional magical sentences and symbols; in lower section, lizard to right, seen from above, above wolf (?) walking left. Rev. Inscription in Kufic starting with بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ('Bism Allāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm' = 'In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful' (Qur'an 1:1)) and ending in سلام على نوح في العالمين ('Salāmun ʿalā Nūḥin fī al-ʿālamīn' = 'Peace be upon Noah throughout the worlds' (Qur'an 37:79)); additional magical sentences and symbols; in lower section, scorpion to right, seen from above, above serpent coiled to right, head turned back to left. A highly interesting amulet combining Qur'anic phrases with magical symbols. Very slightly bent, otherwise, good very fine.



Pendants like this remarkable piece were worn as protective talismans. They combine Qur'anic inscriptions with magical symbols rooted in gnostic traditions that predate Islam. Such objects were believed to guard the wearer from harm, with Noah’s name invoking divine deliverance from catastrophe.