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The early history of Islam following the death of
the Prophet Muhammad can be characterized by
glorious wars and victories on the one hand and
by jealousy, intrigue, and deceit on the other.
When the Umayyad Dynasty ruled in splendor
from their capital at Damascus, a terracotta
plaque such as this one would have decorated
the wall of a sacred mosque or splendid palace
in a distant province. The rulers of the Umayyad
Dynasty, beginning with the founder, Mu'awiyah,
claimed a blood relationship with the Prophet via
his sister, Umm Habibah, and his Abu-Sufyan,
the leader of the Meccan Quraysh. As the Islam
spread across North Africa and into Europe,
political rivalry began to emerge between the
Caliphs. These family feuds would culminate in
749 A.D. when the entire Umayyad clan was
murdered, save for abd-al-Rahman, who fled to
Spain and founded an independent Umayyad
Caliphate there. In part, this division between
opposing Muslim factions of Shi’ite and the Sunni
continue to this day. Overall, the period of the
Umayyad Dynasty can be characterized by a love
of luxury. Great palaces were erected in the
capital of Damascus and throughout the empire.
This plaque, found in Afghanistan, reveals the
great expanse of the Umayyad Dynasty and of
Islam as well.
The plaque features and inscription in the
angular Kufic style that can be translated as “in
the name of the merciful god.” One can imagine
such a work imbedded into the tiled mall of a
mosque, reminding the visitor that they are
entering holy space. More than a relic of a lost
culture, this plaque is a testament to the faith
and expanse of the early Islamic world.
- (PF.6186)
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