Arabic China found in Indonesia

Arabic China found in Indonesia

"Dishes like this, finely decorated with Arabic inscriptions, are commonly found in Indonesia and are thought to have been ordered from China by the Sultans of Aceh in the northwest of Sumatra in the 17th century. Under the reign of Sultan Iskandar Muda (1607-36), Aceh became the most powerful Islamic kingdom in South-east Asia, and the capital Kutaradja (present day Banda Aceh) was a centre of trade and learning. The inscriptions are all written in cursive Arabic script, and include invocations to Allah, verses from the Qur’an, including the Throne verse from Surah al-Baqarah (Chapter 2, verse 255), Surah al-Ikhlas (Chapter 112, verses 1-4) and Surah al-Nas (Chapter 114, verses 1-6), the Shahadah, and the Nad-i ‘Ali prayer; the word ‘Allah’ is repeated in between the eight roundels along the cavetto of the dish. A similar nine-fold medallion design is found in the seals of the Sultans of Aceh"

Ming Dynasty (1600-1700), Image: 27-Feb-2013. Dish, 2988/2 Interior. ceramics. Place: UBC Museum of Anthropology, A Gift from the Ismaili Muslim Community. https://library.artstor.org/asset/AWSS35953_35953_33026204.