History Precis: Caliphal Ivory Caskets From Al Andalus (Essay Sample)

Circular visions of fertility and punishment: Caliphal ivory caskets from Al-Andalus precis.
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Circular visions of fertility and punishment: Caliphal ivory caskets from Al-Andalus precis.
The article is about the various craftsmanship of ivory that was used in different constructions in by ancient civilization. The different ivory craftsmanship had different meanings, and that’s the backbone of the article mentioned above. The otherwise valuable crafts of ivory have been stored in museums and private collections. The ivory crafts commanded a lot of significance to the original users, and this is one of the major objectives of this essay; restore and explain the original meaning of the ivory craftsmanship.[Anderson, Glaire D. "A mother's gift? Astrology and the pyxis of al-Mughīra." Journal of Medieval History 42, no. 1 (2016): 107-130.]
The basic fact about the ivory craft is that the latter were products used in court designed for use by the members of the very dominant and powerful members of the royal lineage. The crafts did bear some prescriptions like the owner's name and dates of celebration of the intended event inscribed on the craft. It’s notable that the ivory crafts have been used in Islamic courts and reused in Cristian churches. The crafts were used through all the successive thrones the caliphate of Al-Andalus.[Empey, Heather J. "The Mothers of the Caliph’s Sons." Concubines and Courtesans: Women and Slavery in Islamic History (2017).]
The context infers that Subh’s fertility, a concubine from Basque, was celebrated by poets and other literary writers then. She bore a son of Al-Hakam II named Abd Al-Rahman. A beautiful ivory craft was made for her and inscribed “...the blessing of Allah upon the Iman...” Many people couldn't understand some inscriptions on some ivory Pyxis. They had private significance. Some crafts contained political opinions by individuals either in lettered inscription or shapes.[Anderson, Glaire D. "A mother's gift? Astrology and the pyxis of al-Mughīra." Journal of Medieval History 42, no. 1 (2016): 107-130.]
A Pyxis made during the reign of Caliphal; presented honorary to al Mughira shows a court scene. Many other Pyxis made during the era of Caliphal represented of featured power and honor. The ivory crafts were also made to mark an important event like celestial banquets. The features in the recorded Sasanian silver vessels shows musicians in classical celebrations which were highly valued events. The Umayyad court of Spain later on adopted this iconography. An ivory craft was made with the image of the then ruler and put on Pamplona casket entrance.[Silva Santa-Cruz, Noelia. "Ivory gifts for women in caliphal Córdoba: marriage, maternity and sensuality." Journal of Medieval Iberian Studies 6, no. 1 (2014): 103-125.]
The Caliphal ivory had different meaning depending on the images inscribed on them. The context captures the grand mosque of Diyarbakir which had two important pictures engraved on it. The art shows a furious lion whose meaning is the violence in the execution of the political command in the then days. The same mantle shows a camel, a weaker animal. The sense of this according to the context is the weakness of the people who are receiving information from the political leaders.
The ivory crafts of the old had some hidden meaning that couldn’t be understood from a first look. The fall of the caliphate rule and the rise to power of Ibn Abi Amir was represented in an earlier ivory craft showing the earlier mentioned princess Subh and Ibn Abi Amir himself. The structure also featured chamberlain al-Mushafi. Ibn Abi Amir was at the top of the ivory craft and the two at the base; signifying the accession of Ibn Abi Amir to power.[Fierro, Maribel. Abd al-Rahman III: The First Cordoban Caliph. ...