Description:

A SCHEMATIC MAP OF THE TWO HOLY SHRINES (AL-HARAMAYN AL-SHARIFAYN), COMMISSIONED BY MUHAMMAD 'ABD AL-BARI AMIN, SAUDI ARABIA, DATED 1231 AH (1815–16 CE)
Hijaz, Saudi Arabia, 1815–16 CE

 

56cm x 40cm

Description:
Ink and opaque pigments on paper, Arabic manuscript map depicting a schematic plan of the Haram al-Nabawi (Prophet’s Mosque in Medina) and Masjid al-Haram (Mecca) in vivid hues of green, ochre, red, and black. The composition is structured around two large, central diagrams—Mecca with the Ka‘ba and surrounding structures, and Medina with the green dome above the Prophet’s tomb—each framed by detailed depictions of other significant Islamic sites and architectural landmarks. Surmounted with calligraphic inscriptions and decorative geometric borders. Commissioned by Muhammad ‘Abd al-Bari Amin, as inscribed.

Dimensions: 

These types of pilgrimage maps were typically created to serve both as devotional tools and as commemorative artefacts for those who had completed the Hajj. The stylisation and visual coding allowed pilgrims to memorise the sacred geography of the holy sites and their ritual routes.

Comparable examples:

  • A closely related Ottoman schematic map of Mecca and Medina, dated circa 19th century, sold at Sotheby’s, London, Arts of the Islamic World, 25 October 2017, Lot 51, for £10,000.

  • A Hajj certificate-style map with similarly vivid architectural detailing, attributed to Hijaz, circa 1800, sold at Christie’s, London, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 28 April 2022, Lot 63, for £9,450.

  • Another Saudi-produced devotional schematic of the Two Holy Mosques, dated early 19th century, realised £8,125 at Bonhams, London, Islamic and Indian Art, 20 May 2019, Lot 14.

Note:
Schematic renderings of the Haramayn, such as this example, are rare survivors of a deeply personal and spiritual art form. The inclusion of architectural elements and symbolic vegetation (notably palm trees and minarets), combined with the identification of a known patron/commissioner, enhances the documentary and devotional significance of this map. Its date, shortly after the first Saudi occupation of Hijaz, also places it within a politically significant period in the history of pilgrimage and religious art in the region.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

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£500 £999 £50
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£2,000 £4,999 £200
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£10,000 £19,999 £1,000
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