36 TALISMANIC COMPENDIUM Turkey, Ottoman, dated 1226 A.H. 1811 A.D. Ink, gold, and silver on paper Folio 2 x 2 in (5 x 5 cm)
A talismanic compendium composed of 48 octagonal conjoined pages containing text or diagrams enclosed by colored circular bands. It was folded and likely carried in an octagonal amulet case for a bazuband. Many of the pages have protective prayers, Ayat al-Kursi (Qur’an 2:255) in part and invocations to God’s 99 beautiful names al-asma’ al-husna with further prayers. Some pages have magical 4x4 squares containing letters or Abjad numbers enclosed by the four Archangels’ names. A few containing hadith from the prophet.