Mahi-maratib – Standard

Brass

India, Deccan, 17th century

Width: 19 cm

Provenance: Formerly in a private French collection, acquired in the 1970′s.

This strikingly fierce monster face was a standard of the ‘Order of the Fish’. This sea monster, with its odd ears and nose, was the emblem of this fighters order.

This mahi-maratib was probably re-used for an other purpose: the entire surface bears an inscription repeating ‘Ya Allah’ (O God), which links this piece to an Islamic cultual function. It was probably used as a marching standard for the shi’i ceremonies of ‘Ashura, which commemorate the death of Imam Husein.