{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O166203"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O166203/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PT5066/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PT5066/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2026PT5066","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PT5067","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O166203/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O166203","accessionNumber":"IS.154-1984","objectType":"Dedicatory inscription","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This large and impressive carved stone inscription is written in Arabic in the 'bow and arrow' Tughra Script. The vertical strokes of the letters represent arrows, while the curved tails of the upper letters are the 'bows'. The inscription dedicates a gateway built by Husayn Shah (r.1493-1519), a patron responsible for numerous mosques and tombs in Bengal, and includes a date equivalent to 6 January 1495. Muslim rule was established in Eastern India at the beginning of the thirteenth century and the Bengali style of Sultanate architecture developed here. Although the style synthesised Muslim influences with motifs derived from local Hindu and Buddhist architecture, large calligraphic reliefs like this example are a feature of Muslim origin.","physicalDescription":"Black shale rectangular block carved over almost the entire front surface with a dedicatory inscription in Arabic in the 'bow and arrow' Tughra Script.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Black shale, carved","categories":[{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"}],"styles":[{"text":"Sultanate Bengal","id":"x36684"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2026PT5066","2026PT5067"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"SR026","id":"THES341392"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Dedicatory Inscription","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Bengal","id":"x30825"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"6 January 1495","earliest":"1495-01-06","latest":"1495-01-06"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"34","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"75.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"'[This] gate [was built] in the reign of the Sultan 'Ala al-Dunya wa'l Din Abu'l-Muzzaffar Husayn Shah al-Husayni - may Allah perpetuate his rule and sovereignty - on the twentieth day of the month Rajab, the year 900'.","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Incription in Arabic in 'bow and arrow' Tughra script dedicating a gateway built by Husayn Shah (r.1493-1519), a patron responsible for numerous mosques and tombs in Bengal. The date is translated as 6 January 1495."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Stone block with an Arabic inscription, Malda, Bengal, 1495","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, J., and Swallow, D., (eds). 'Arts of India: 1550-1900'. London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1990. ISBN 1851770224. pp. 44-5, illustration 30."},{"reference":{"text":"Arts of Bengal : the heritage of Bangladesh and eastern India : an exhibition organized by the Whitechapel Art Gallery in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum : 9 November-30 December 1979, Whitechapel Art Gallery ..., 12 January-17 February 1980, Manchester City Art Gallery ... . [London]: Whitechapel Art Gallery, [1979] Number: 085488047X (pbk.) :","id":"AUTH339757"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Digby, Simon. 'The Fate of Daniyal, Prince of Bengal, in the light of an unpublished inscription' in B.S.O.A.S., XXXVI, 1973."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Ravenshaw, J.H. 'Gaur : its ruins and inscriptions'. London, 1878."}],"production":"Malda District","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"DEDICATORY INSCRIPTION: Arabic inscription in the 'bow and arrow'. Tughra Script dedicating a gateway built by Husayn Shah (r.1493-1519), a patron responsible for numerous mosques and tombs in Bengal, it translates:\r\n'[This] gate [was built] in the reign of the Sultan 'Ala al-Dunya wa'l Din Abu'l-Muzzaffar Husayn Shah al-Husayni - May Allah perpetuate his rule and sovereignty - on the twentieth day of the month Rajab, the year 900'.","date":{"text":"Nehru Gallery, 1990","earliest":"1990-01-01","latest":"1990-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.154-1984"],"accessionNumberNum":"154","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1984,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-09-21","recordCreationDate":"2008-08-21","availableToBook":false}}