Persian Silver Talismanic Necklace

Engraved Talismanic Koranic Silver Pendant with Necklace of Silver Mango Beads & Amulet Boxes

This fine, talismanic pendant and necklace comprises a large flat solid silver shield-like pendant engraved on one side with seven lines of Koranic script. It is suspended from a thick triple silver chain from which 32 hollow silver mangoes are suspended as well as two book-like amulet boxes, two cylindrical amulet boxes, and two rounded, lidded boxes which look like small inkwells or perfume containers but which probably also serve as amulet boxes.

The pendant is inscribed with multiple lines of script believed to relate to the ‘throne

surah‘, the 255th verse of surah Al-Baqara, the second chapter of the Koran. It teaches that nothing and no-one is comparable to God and is a widely memorised verse from the Koran.

The ensemble has obvious age and is a fine example of a complete talismanic necklace and pendant to have survived.

An almost identical pendant is illustrated in Leurquin (2003, p. 188).

It is likely that the pendant was made in Persia (Iran) as a Shia protective amulet. Such pendants were made for pilgrims. This example most probably was acquired by a pilgrim, perhaps at a Persian shrine, and brought back to northern India, probably to the Sindh or Multan regions close to the present-day Pakistan-India border, where it was added to the chain with all its protective, talismanic devices.

The necklace and pendant is in fine condition and is very wearable.