Curtain for the Door of the Ka‘bah

Location: Cairo, Egypt; commissioned by Sultan Mehmed IV

Materials: black silk, with coloured silk appliqués, relief-embroidered in silver and silver-gilt wire over cotton thread padding

Dimensions: 520 x 262cm

Accession Number: TXT 353

Script:

The long commissioning notice in the name of Sultan Mehmed IV occupies the two green panels at the top of the door opening. It is interesting to note that on these early examples, the curtain is not referred to by a specific name, but simply as ‘this noble blessed’.