“Of Letters & Coins”
Aluminium. Various formats.
Aluminium. Various formats.
“In this installation, Hussein Alazaat takes us on a journey into Jordan’s history, depicting the various scripts of Jordan on oversized coins (real and imaginary).
Jordan is one of the world’s oldest crossroads, harboring powerful kingdoms and trading centers, as attested to by the diversity of scripts on coins and inscriptions found within its present borders. The writings attest to the trading routes of Jordan’s past and present civilizations. The scripts range from petroglyphs, to Safaitic, Aramaic, Nabataean, Greek, Latin, and Arabic. They display a wealth of lettering styles from iconic sites and significant periods.”
-
Jordan Script Routes Exhibition
Curated by Dr. Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès
Jordan is one of the world’s oldest crossroads, harboring powerful kingdoms and trading centers, as attested to by the diversity of scripts on coins and inscriptions found within its present borders. The writings attest to the trading routes of Jordan’s past and present civilizations. The scripts range from petroglyphs, to Safaitic, Aramaic, Nabataean, Greek, Latin, and Arabic. They display a wealth of lettering styles from iconic sites and significant periods.”
-
Jordan Script Routes Exhibition
Curated by Dr. Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès
1_Petroglyphs Ca. 10 000 bc. Origin: Wadi Rum, Jordan. Front: Rock inscription: man with camels. 800 bc. Back: Rock inscription: undeciphered symbol. 800 bc.
2_Moabite (Phoenician script)
13th – 4th century bc. Origin: Kerak, Jordan. Front: Detail from the Mesha stele. 840 bc. Back: Bronze stamp seal of king Kemosh (Chemosh).
7th century bc.
13th – 4th century bc. Origin: Kerak, Jordan. Front: Detail from the Mesha stele. 840 bc. Back: Bronze stamp seal of king Kemosh (Chemosh).
7th century bc.
3_Safaitic (Ancient North Arabian script)
1st century bc – 4th century ad. Origin: Nomads of the basalt desert, Mafraq, Jordan. Front: Safaitic stone inscription stating : “by ‘qrbn
son of Ks’t son of S’d the beautiful woman played the
reed pipes.” 100 bc. Back: Drawing of a musical ritual. 100 bc.
1st century bc – 4th century ad. Origin: Nomads of the basalt desert, Mafraq, Jordan. Front: Safaitic stone inscription stating : “by ‘qrbn
son of Ks’t son of S’d the beautiful woman played the
reed pipes.” 100 bc. Back: Drawing of a musical ritual. 100 bc.
4_Nabataean (Nabataean script)
4th century bc – 1st century ad. Origin: Petra, Wadi Rum, Umm el-Jimal, Jordan. Front: Nabataean coin of king Aretas IV. 40 ad. Back: Detail from a stone inscription (the word
malik shows the transition to the early Arabic
script). Umm el-Jimal, Jordan. 265 ad.
4th century bc – 1st century ad. Origin: Petra, Wadi Rum, Umm el-Jimal, Jordan. Front: Nabataean coin of king Aretas IV. 40 ad. Back: Detail from a stone inscription (the word
malik shows the transition to the early Arabic
script). Umm el-Jimal, Jordan. 265 ad.
5_Byzantine (Greek script)
4th –7th century ad.
In use across Jordan. Front: Arab-Byzantine coin. Ca. 680 ad. Back: Detail from a mosaic inscription from Madaba,
Jordan. 5th century ad.
4th –7th century ad.
In use across Jordan. Front: Arab-Byzantine coin. Ca. 680 ad. Back: Detail from a mosaic inscription from Madaba,
Jordan. 5th century ad.
6_Umayyad (Arabic script)
661–750 ad. In use across Jordan. Front: Amman-minted Umayyad fils with
early Kufi script. 8th century ad. Back: Umayyad Dirham. 707 ad.
661–750 ad. In use across Jordan. Front: Amman-minted Umayyad fils with
early Kufi script. 8th century ad. Back: Umayyad Dirham. 707 ad.
7_Mamluk (Arabic script) 1250–1517 ad. In use across Jordan. Front: Mamluk Coin. 1346 ad. Back: Detail from an architectural inscription
from Aqaba, Jordan. 1500 ad.
from Aqaba, Jordan. 1500 ad.
8_Ottoman (Arabic script) 1516–1918 ad.
In use across Jordan. Front: Ottoman coin with the Sultan’s Tughra. 18th century ad. Back: Detail of a stone-engraved sign for the
Qatraneh, the Hijaz railway station. 1909 ad.
In use across Jordan. Front: Ottoman coin with the Sultan’s Tughra. 18th century ad. Back: Detail of a stone-engraved sign for the
Qatraneh, the Hijaz railway station. 1909 ad.
9_Modern Jordan (Arabic script)
1920s –. Currently in use across Jordan. Front: The first 100 Fils coin of The Hashemite Kingdom
of Jordan. 1962 ad. Back: Yarmouk Hotel sign in Ruqaa script, Amman. 1980s.
1920s –. Currently in use across Jordan. Front: The first 100 Fils coin of The Hashemite Kingdom
of Jordan. 1962 ad. Back: Yarmouk Hotel sign in Ruqaa script, Amman. 1980s.