hijab (men's amulet)

hijab (men's amulet), 1983–1984

Where object was made: Khartoum, Al Kharţoum, Sudan

Material/technique: leather

Dimensions:
Object Height/Diameter (Height x Diameter): 3 x 11.5 cm
Object Height/Diameter (Height x Diameter): 1 3/16 x 4 1/2 in

Credit line: Museum purchase: KUEA Funds

Accession number: 2007.0862

Not on display

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Label texts

Exhibition Label:
"Material World: Adornment from Around the Globe," Jun-2014
Among the Hawazma peoples of Southern Sudan, Islamic amulets, such as this leather one, are widely worn by men, women, and children. The amulet is imbued with protective and curative properties derived from the Quranic verse or verses sealed within it. The verse or verses would be handwritten in ink on a piece of paper by a Muslim holy man, specifically for the individual and his or her needs, and would then be sealed within the amulet. The Hawazma believe that amulets protect from disease, misfortune, and evil. This amulet would have been worn around a Hawazma man’s upper arm or threaded on a string with other amulets and worn around the waist.

by Jessie Sirico
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation & Loo Family Intern, Global and Indigenous Art