EXPLORE / TRADITIONS

Middle Eastern and North African arts

A collection pathway for comparing materials, dates and places. The objects here are a small sample of a much wider and internally varied history.

DATES IN THIS SAMPLE

-2000–1556

Object dates, not the boundaries of a tradition.

LOOKING PROMPT

Compare the objects below. Which materials and visual choices recur? Which differences resist a single label?

FOLLOW A MATERIALink painting ↗metal casting ↗ceramics ↗

Bahram Gur Arrives at the House of a Merchant, text page (recto); Bahram Gur Slays a Dragon (verso), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), known as the Great Mongol Shahnama

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Iran, Tabriz, Ilkhanid period (1256-1353) · 1330–35

Bahram Gur Arrives at the House of a Merchant, text page (recto); Bahram Gur Slays a Dragon (verso), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), known as the Great Mongol Shahnama

Creator not recorded

IranMiddle East and North Africa

Saved timeline

Persian Verses: The Fortieth Year of King Kisra Nushirwan's Reign and the Story of Buzurgmihr (recto); Portrait of Nushirwan the Just (verso) from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025)

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Iran, Tabriz, Ilkhanid period (1256-1353) · 1330–35

Persian Verses: The Fortieth Year of King Kisra Nushirwan's Reign and the Story of Buzurgmihr (recto); Portrait of Nushirwan the Just (verso) from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025)

Creator not recorded

IranMiddle East and North Africa

Saved timeline

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Iran, Luristan · c. 700 BCE

Master of Animals Cheekpiece

Creator not recorded

IranMiddle East and North Africa

Saved timeline

Head of Amenhotep III Wearing the Blue Crown

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Egypt, New Kingdom (1540–1069 BCE), Dynasty 18, reign of Amenhotep III (1390–1352 BCE) · c. 1391–1353 BCE

Head of Amenhotep III Wearing the Blue Crown

Creator not recorded

EgyptMiddle East and North Africa

Saved timeline

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Egypt, New Kingdom (1540–1069 BCE), Dynasty 18, reign of Amenhotep III (1390–1352 BCE) · c. 1391–1353 BCE

Nome Gods Bearing Offerings

Creator not recorded

EgyptMiddle East and North Africa

Saved timeline

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Egypt, Roman Empire, late Tiberian · c. 25–37 CE

Funerary Portrait of a Young Girl

Creator not recorded

EgyptMiddle East and North Africa

Saved timeline

Dragon in foliage with lion and phoenix heads

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Ottoman Turkey, Istanbul · mid-1500s

Dragon in foliage with lion and phoenix heads

Attributed to Sahkulu

TurkeyMiddle East and North Africa

Saved timeline

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Turkey, Iznik, Ottoman period (1299–1922) · c. 1535–40

Large Dish with Artichokes

Creator not recorded

TurkeyMiddle East and North Africa

Saved timeline

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Hittite, North Syria · c. 1600 BCE

Priest-King or Deity

Creator not recorded

SyriaMiddle East and North Africa

Saved timeline

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Egypt or Syria(?) · 650–850

Roundel from a Tunic with Palmette Tree

Creator not recorded

Egypt or Syria(?)Middle East and North Africa

Saved timeline

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North Syria, possibly Ebla · 2000–1700 BCE

Seated Ruler

Creator not recorded

SyriaMiddle East and North Africa

Saved timeline

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probably Turkey, Roman · 1–100 CE

Skyphos

Creator not recorded

TurkeyMiddle East and North Africa

Saved timeline