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Calligraphic Roundel, inscribed "Ya 'Aziz" (Oh Mighty)

late 16th–early 17th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 463
Decorative roundels are found in the spandrels of arches on many buildings in the Deccan, but those with calligraphic decoration only appear in mosques and tombs. The inscription on this roundel reads "Ya 'Aziz" (O Mighty), one of the ninety-nine names of God in the Islamic tradition. Each phrase is first written vertically and then in mirror image to form a decorative unit that is repeated eight times around the roundel.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Calligraphic Roundel, inscribed "Ya 'Aziz" (Oh Mighty)
  • Date: late 16th–early 17th century
  • Geography: Attributed to India, Deccan, Hyderabad
  • Medium: Sandstone; carved, traces of pigment
  • Dimensions: D. 1 3/16 in. (3 cm)
    Diam. 18 1/2 in. (47 cm)
    Wt. 10 lbs. (4.5 kg)
  • Classification: Stone
  • Credit Line: Edward Pearce Casey Fund, 1985
  • Object Number: 1985.240.1
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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