Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 14th August 2016, 09:18 PM

This is a good question which is half answered as one is the gunpowder flask and the almost square item is ?
Certainly North Africa either Morocco and or Algeria. Note that clossone was more common in in Algeria and also applied to the Hilt of the Algerian Nimcha.
I will stick up some other examples in a moment...

There are examples at Library and the web illustrates many at https://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...e&fr=chr-yo_gc

The question is more interesting because some countries have Quran Holders...and some look like they could be for bullets or oil... but that the two ought not to be mixed up. It should be understood that what is meant as a Quran holder means a small Quran is meant to be contained inside...in miniature. On the other hand some boxes are for a note either from the Quran or a note of some important issue ...e.g. water rights / building rights/ or something to be kept safe ...most of the time they may be empty. This is called a Hirz...and can be seen in the group photo below (Omani) They are usually sealed with pitch.

A decorated Quran box holder can be decorated in a number of ways including geometrical art or inscribed with words from the Quran and in Morocco or Algeria some are covered in Clossonne..Other examples include those with magic squares. Quran holders are not usually sealed.

I would expect to see other decoration on a bullet container or grease box. Not withstanding this it is possible that boxes for the tourist market could appear with no rhyme or reason to what they are decorated with...although even that seems doubtful to me....

14th August 2016, 09:18 PM	#4
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	This is a good question which is half answered as one is the gunpowder flask and the almost square item is ? Certainly North Africa either Morocco and or Algeria. Note that clossone was more common in in Algeria and also applied to the Hilt of the Algerian Nimcha. I will stick up some other examples in a moment... There are examples at Library and the web illustrates many at https://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...e&fr=chr-yo_gc The question is more interesting because some countries have Quran Holders...and some look like they could be for bullets or oil... but that the two ought not to be mixed up. It should be understood that what is meant as a Quran holder means a small Quran is meant to be contained inside...in miniature. On the other hand some boxes are for a note either from the Quran or a note of some important issue ...e.g. water rights / building rights/ or something to be kept safe ...most of the time they may be empty. This is called a Hirz...and can be seen in the group photo below (Omani) They are usually sealed with pitch. A decorated Quran box holder can be decorated in a number of ways including geometrical art or inscribed with words from the Quran and in Morocco or Algeria some are covered in Clossonne..Other examples include those with magic squares. Quran holders are not usually sealed. I would expect to see other decoration on a bullet container or grease box. Not withstanding this it is possible that boxes for the tourist market could appear with no rhyme or reason to what they are decorated with...although even that seems doubtful to me.... Attached Images Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 14th August 2016 at 10:38 PM.