A SILK SWADDLING BAND AND A FINELY ENGRAVED CARNELIAN BAZUBAND PENDANT
Iran, late 19th - early 20th century

Comprising a polychrome swaddling band, in puce, green, yellow, black, and white silks, symmetrically tablet-woven with stylised peacocks, cypresses, geometric motifs, and the congratulatory phrase ‘Mubarak Bad’ in Persian, dated 1324AH (1906), 106cm x 2.3cm including the fringe; and a Pahlevan (wrestling) armband set with a large engraved carnelian, the stone of flat oval shape, engraved in the voided centre with the invocation Ya Hafez (O Saviour) in Arabic, infilled with safeguarding prayers and Quranic phrases, the outer edge with the Verse of the Throne (Qur’an, sura 2, Al-Baqara, v.255), in decorated steel case, with hinged rings on either side, the stone 8.2cm x 6cm, 15cm x 6.5cm x 0.9cm including the mount.

For a similar swaddling band, see the V&A museum (inv. no. T.58-1919).