Readings of this motif
- The sun and light.
- A centring device for a page or ceiling.
How to recognise it
Look for the Shamseh as a repeated unit rather than a single image: its scale, density and the way it sits in a border or field often tell you more about workshop and region than the form alone. The same motif crosses weaving, metal, tile and painting, so a match is a starting point for comparison, never proof of origin.
Used in these crafts
The decoration of manuscript pages and album leaves with gold and coloured pigments in geometric and floral designs framing text or painting.
The hand binding of manuscripts and books with leather or lacquer covers, often with a flap (lisan) and stamped, cut or gilded decoration.
A Persian inlay art in which fine rods of wood, bone and metal are bundled into star units, sliced into thin sheets and applied to a wooden surface to form dense geometric tessellation.
The carving and moulding of gypsum plaster into architectural ornament, including mihrabs, inscriptions, muqarnas and wall panels.