Section of the Belt of the Prophet’s Tomb, with the Tughra of Sultan Selim III

Location: Istanbul, Turkey

Materials: red silk, relief embroidered in silver and silver-gilt wire over cotton thread padding

Dimensions: 65 x 1100 cm

Accession Number: TXT 261

Script:

The belt of the Prophet’s tomb – often referred to as its nitaq – was attached to the zigzag-patterned curtain that was draped over the exterior walls of the enclosure (the maqsurah) around his tomb chamber (see MSS 1213). The main part of this section carries verses 8 – 11 from Surat al-Fath, followed by an embroidered panel bearing the tughra of Sultan Selim III. The final panel is embroidered with the commissioning notice in his name and the date.