H x W x D: 48.4 x 19.3 x 1.9 cm (19 1/16 x 7 5/8 x 3/4 in.)
Type:
Book and Manuscript
Geography:
Nigeria
Date:
Mid-late 20th century
Label Text:
Wood writing boards, some of them embellished with magic squares and other non-figurative designs in addition to Koranic script, serve to illustrate the long history of Islam and literacy in Africa. The boards are most often used by young Moslem students who are learning to read, write and recite Sura or passages from the Koran, Islam's sacred book. As lessons are completed, boards are washed for reuse.
Writing boards may also be used in contexts that suggest a synthesis of earlier animistic beliefs and the Islamic faith that superseded it. In some cases, a client seeking protection against disease or misfortune may visit a ritual practitioner who writes passages from the Koran or another source onto the writing board (or an animal skin). In a gesture that crystallizes the potency of the written words and also ensures protection, the client collects the liquid used to rinse the writing boards and drinks it.
Description:
Rectangular writing board carved of light-weight wood with Islamic writing on both sides, a slightly concave lower edge, and a crescent-shaped leather-covered handle projecting from center edge along the top of the board. The writing in brown ink varies in intensity and clarity, with some smudges and drips suggesting possible corrections and the use of what a water soluble ink. A chalky residue is evident on the surface of each side of the board.
Provenance:
Barry and Toby Hecht, Bethesda, Maryland, 1999 to 2001
Exhibition History:
African Mosaic: Selections from the Permanent Collection, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 19, 2013–August 12, 2019 (deinstalled July 8, 2019)
African Mosaic: Celebrating a Decade of Collecting, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 19, 2010-November 13, 2013
Inscribing Meaning: Writing and Graphic Systems in African Art, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, May 9- August 26, 2007; Fowler Museum at University of California, Los Angeles, October 14, 2007-February 17, 2008
Published References:
Kreamer, Christine Mullen. 2003. " A Tribute to Roy Sieber: Part 2." African Arts 36 (2), p. 29, no. 38.
Kreamer, Christine, Mary Nooter Roberts, Elizabeth Harney and Allyson Purpura. 2007. Inscribing Meaning: Writing and Graphic Systems in African Art. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution; Milan: 5 Continents Editions, p. 20, no. 1.9.
Content Statement:
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
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