{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O320819"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O320819/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011FA0099/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011FA0099/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011FA0099","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O320819/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O320819","accessionNumber":"143-1881","objectType":"Mihrab","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Mihrab is a semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a mihrab appears is thus the \"qibla wall\".\n\nThis mihrab is a portable one, as it was not built directly into the wall structure of the mosque.  Surviving portable mihrabs date back to the Fatimid period in Egypt (12th century), but this example is believed to have come from the mosque of Sheykh Abdallah, near the citadel in Cairo, and is dated to the 18th century. \n\n","physicalDescription":"Rectangular shaped, carved stalactite-like (or honey-comb) decorated prayer niche (mihrab), with each element painted with red, dark green and white floral sprays and arabesque patterning. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28674"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved wood; painted","categories":[{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"},{"text":"Islam","id":"THES48932"},{"text":"Woodwork","id":"THES48877"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2011FA0099"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"C","id":"THES396674"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"mihrab","id":"AAT76155"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Cairo","id":"x28776"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Egypt","id":"x29512"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1700-1800","earliest":"1700-01-01","latest":"1800-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"420","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"11.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Carved and painted mihrab, Egypt, Cairo, Ottoman period, 1700-1800\r\n\r\n","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Bernard O’Kane, ed. The Treasures of Islamic Art in the Museum of Cairo (The American University of Cairo Press: Cairo & New York, 2006)"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Greville John Chester","id":"AUTH338393"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["143-1881"],"accessionNumberNum":"143","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1881,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-06-03","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}