Ancient Artifact Review 114 : Antique Sumatra Parang Wafat / Pedang Rajah / Sumatra Talismanic Short Sword (19th Century)

 

This item is a Parang Wafat (also known as a Parang Rajah or Pedang Rajah), a traditional Sumatran short sword or cleaver-style weapon. This blade belongs to a celebrated class of Indonesian and Malayan ceremonial edge weapons known as Parang Wafat (or Parang Rajah / Pedang Rajah). Unlike standard agricultural or utilitarian parang cleavers, these blades were created as talismanic objects and spiritual shields (rajahan).

The extensive Islamic calligraphy etched and inlaid in gold (koftgari) across the steel surface was believed to imbue the weapon with spiritual protection (barakah or tuah), rendering the bearer safe from physical harm, evil spirits, and defeat in battle.

This Parang Wafat can be dated to the late 19th century to early 20th century (circa 1880–1920).

These blades were heavily produced across the Malay Archipelago—particularly in Sumatra (such as Aceh, Minangkabau, and Palembang) and parts of the Malay Peninsula:

• Colonial Wars: During the late 19th century, particularly during intense anti-colonial resistance periods like the Aceh War (1873–1904), local fighters and leaders (uleebalang and ulama) commissioned blades inscribed with Quranic verses of victory, divine aid, and steadfastness (such as Surah Al-Imran and Surah Yasin) as morale boosters and protective talismans.

• Status & Authority: Carrying an extensively inscribed parang was also a mark of high social standing, spiritual authority, and piety within Islamic Malay society.

• Inscription Style & Technique (Koftgari): The gold leaf/wire inlay application (koftgari) set against dark, acid-etched Damascus steel (pamor) featuring simplified late Naskh/Thuluth calligraphy is characteristic of late 19th-century Sumatran and Malayan arms craftsmanship.

• Hilt and Scabbard Materials: The deeply carved dark hardwood (Kemuning or Ulu) with polished smooth contours and gold brass/copper collar bands (pedok) reflect standard late 19th and early 20th-century Indonesian/Malay Archipelago metalwork.

• Blade & Pamor Metallurgy:

  The lower portion of the blade displays patterned Damascus steel forged from layered iron and nickelous meteoritic ore, known as Pamor. In Indonesian weapons traditions, distinct pamor patterns carry specific mystical qualities (e.g., bringing prosperity or warding off misfortune).

• Calligraphy (Koftgari Inlay): The Arabic verses—including Quran 3:8–9 ("Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate..."), Quran 2:201 ("Our Lord, give us in this world that which is good..."), and the Hawqala—are set into dark, acid-etched iron panels using gold wire inlay (koftgari).

• Serrated Blade Spine:

  The stepped/serrated crest near the tip is a distinctive feature often seen on Sumatran and South-East Asian talismanic blades, symbolizing stepped mountain peaks (gunungan) or protective saw-tooth wards.

Translation of the Blade Inscriptions on the Obverse

The blade contains prominent Arabic Islamic prayers, Quranic verses, and protective formulas (dua / hawqala):

1. Main Middle Line (Top Row)

اللّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَصْبَحْتُ وَأَمْسَيْتُ وَلَذَا أَهِيبُ...

Translation: "O Allah, indeed I have entered the morning and evening [in Your grace and protection]..."

(This is part of a traditional morning and evening supplication seeking divine protection).

2. Main Lower Line (Second Row)

لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ

Translation: "There is no power nor strength except in Allah, the Most High, the Most Magnificent."

(The Hawqala / La Hawla).

3. Blade Tip / Edge Section

Contains repeating fragments of the Shahada (declaration of faith):

لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ

Translation: "There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

 Translation of the Blade Inscriptions on the Reverse

1. Upper Line (Quran 3:8–9)

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ ۝ رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ جَامِعُ النَّاسِ لِيَوْمٍ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ...

Translation: "Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower. Our Lord, surely You will gather the people for a Day about which there is no doubt..."

2. Middle / Lower Line (Quran 2:201 & Quran 36:58)

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ ... سَلَامٌ قَوْلًا مِنْ رَبٍّ رَحِيمٍ

Translation: "Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire ... 'Peace,' a word from a Merciful Lord."

3. Blade Tip / Serrated Edge Section

Contains repeating expressions of faith and divine invocations (Tahlil and Hawqala):

لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ ... لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ

Translation: "There is no god but Allah ... There is no power nor strength except in Allah, the Most High, the Most Magnificent."

Ancient Manuscript Review 209 : Antique Malay Manuscript ( 1288 AH / 1872 CE )

 

This is a small manuscript on various Islamic topics written in an old Malay language. Acquired from Amcorp Mall in Malaysia in 2025. Undated but there is a note written on the page mentioning about the death of someone name Tuan Fakir who passed away on Wednesday Zohor time 23 Rabiul Awal 1288 AH. Its peculiar that the year date is written a combination of Arabic and Roman Numeral  ١٢88

Manuscript Specs

Item : Antique Malay Manuscript

Content : Islamic prayer, Fiqh,  & selected Quranic verses

Dim :  12mm  x  10mm

Date : 18-19th century

Copyist : anonymous

Origin : Malaysia

Calligraphy : Malay

Design : Written in Malay scripts in red & black in Arabic & Malay language

Purchased Price :US

Ancient Artifact Review 107 : Antique Islamic marble/ tile from Essaouira Morocco ( 19th Century) - بركة محمد (Barakah Muhammad )

 

This is a rare marble slab from most likely the town of Essaouira, Morocco from 18-19th Century. The tile is made from white marble and inscribed with Arabic words, بركة محمد

The inscription looks like  بركة محمد  pronounced as Barakah Muhammad means blessing of Prophet Muhammad.

"Barakat Mohammed" is a sacred term for the inhabitants of Essaouira and you can find this inscription almost everywhere in the town.

The inhabitants of this town adorn their houses, shops, and building with this saacred inscription to invoke blessings.

The establishment of this type of tile dating from 18th century at the foundation of the town by the Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah al-Qatib ( Mohammed III c. 1710-1790), calling about divine protection of the town. He let build a fortress originally called Souira ("the small fortress"). Later the name was Es-Saouira ("the beautifully made, the picture") Today this town is called Essaouira.

Notice the "Barakat Mohammed" plate on the wall upper right (Souk el Jdid)

Compare this inscription with the calligraphy in the 17th Century Quranic Manuscripts from Morocco :

Kufi Quran Page

Also compare with my other similar tile but for Jews and inscribed in Hebrew :

Jewish Tile Barak

Artifact Specs :

Item : Marble Tile

Content :  بركة محمد  (Barakah Muhammad ) means blessing of Prophet Muhammad.
Dim : 13.5cm x 13.5cm x 2cm
Date : 19th Century CE
Purchased Price :
Reference : Pottery from Morocco 19th-20th Century

Ancient Artifact Review 105 : Antique Gold Embroidery Persian Wall Hanger with Kufi Calligraphy ( 19th Century)

الْعِزُّ لِلَّهِ ۞ الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ ۞ وَلَا غَالِبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ

This item is a ceremonial/architectural calligraphic textile banner (an embroidered door valance or wall hanging, produced in the tradition of Ottoman or North African/Andalusian-revival ceremonial fabrics like the Kiswah or Sitara).

1. Script Style

The central calligraphic panel is rendered in Floriated / Plaited Kufic (al-Kūfī al-Muwaraq). In this style, the vertical shafts of the Arabic letters (alifs and lams) extend upward and interlock to form repeating, symmetrical architectural arches and palmette leaves.

2. Decipherment & Translation of the Inscriptions

Across the entire stitched length of the banner, the main field and borders contain repeating, foundational Islamic honorifics and royal mottos:

Main Central Field (Repeating Inside Arches)

العِزُّ لِلَّهِ ... المُلْكُ لِلَّهِ

Al-'Izzatu lillāh ... Al-Mulku lillāh

English Translation:“Glory and Might belong to God... Sovereignty belongs to God.”

Secondary Base Line / Border Motto

وَلَا غَالِبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ

Wa lā ghāliba illā Allāh

English Translation:“There is no victor but God.”

3. Physical & Historical Characteristics

• Technique: Couching with heavy metallic gold/silver thread (Zardozi / Kallabatun) onto a silk or satin foundation.

• Function: Suspended above doorways, interior arches, or mihrabs using the fabric loops sewn along the top edge.

• Artistic Context: The inclusion of the famous Nasrid motto (Wa lā ghāliba illā Allāh) alongside classical Kufic phrasing indicates an Andalusian-revival style common in 19th- to early 20th-century Ottoman and North African luxury textile workshops.

Item : Embroided Kufi Wall Hanger
Date : 1900 CE 
Dim : 600mm x 1300mm
Design : Arabic Prayer or excerpts from Al Quran embroided in Kufi script

Ancient Artifact Review 05 : Antique Malay Jawi Plate (1819-1864 CE)

This is a priceless antique English plate decorated with Malay / Jawi motif & pantun (poems). This plate was manufactured by Williams Adams & Sons company sometime between 1819 CE to 1864 CE. This company was established in the early nineteenth century and great supplier of wares to India & the Far East. The trademark can be seen at the bottom of this plate, written W. Adams And Son under a medallion inside which is inscribed the name of the motif viz MALAY.
"The plate was printed using the process of transfer-printing, which was first used in England around 1750. The design is engraved on a metal plate, then impressed on a thin piece of paper, and transferred to the surface of the pottery or porcelain."

The pantun inscribed on the rims written :
" Suka makan di piring ini,
suatu di ambil dengan jankanya,
kalau suka membeli piring begini,
Anderson Tolson oleh yang punya"


Anderson Tolson is probably a retailing firm in Batavia.
The pantun inscribed 8 lines converging to the centre written :

1) Jikalau boleh kita ingatkan 2) Tertib dan sopan baik kerjakan 3) Jalan istiadat dipeliharakan 4) Supaya jangan membinasakan 5) Tertib suatu itu penghulu 6) Kerna pakaian orang dahulu 7) Barang pekerjaan benar terlalu 8) Masyhur namanya orang pun malu

There is an interesting research & article written by Henri Chambert-Loir from Almanac Indonesia & The Malay World in regards to the this type of plate. It was quite extensive research and dug further to its origin and its design. The handwriting print on this plate belongs to Khatib Muharis. Even though his name is not printed on this plate, there are others with the same handwriting bearing his name. Diameter of this plate is 27cm
Nonetheless the article doesnt have any reference to the 8 poem lines in my plate. Does it mean the plate is rare? If you find any similar plate with the same 8 poetic lines anywhere, please let me know. I would be interested where else has the same plate.

In a meantime there is a reference about this plate in a book Piring Puisi Melayu by Abu Muawiyah. It is on page 289 with the plate picture and poem lines.The reference give for this plate is PPM-B7.


Reference :

1) Eating the text : English plates decorated with Malay poems, by Henri Chambert-Loir ( published in Indonesia & The Malay World 1994)

2) Piring Puisi Melayu ( Abu Muawiyah) 2023  ( Plate reference : PPM-B7 )

3) Crescent Moon : Islamic Art & Civilisation South East Asia, pg 78

Ancient Artifact Review 04 : Antique Arabic Brass Key ( 1158 AH)

This is an antique giant brass key dated 1158 AH ( 1745 CE). There is also an arabic inscription of the owner as "Muhammad Bin Muhammad Halabi". Origin is Syria. Dimension is 24cm long & 9 cm width with weight of 340gram. This key probably was a house or a shop key.

Ancient Artifact Review 01 : Antique Brunei / Borneo Kettle ( 1296 AH)

This is a museum piece antiquity from Borneo island. Its a bronze kettle with arabic calligraphy of the Hijra year. Origin is brunei or southern Phillipine. Normally this kettle is used to boil medicines. It is typical used among Malays. Date inscipted is 1296 AH equivalent to 1878 CE. Similar kettle can be seen in National Museum of Malaysia.
Reference document : Islamic Civilization In The Malay World by Mohd Taib Osman, pg 334

 Spec :

Dim : Diameter: 14 cm / 5.5 inches Height: 15 cm / 5.9 inches Width(largest point): 18 cm / 7.1 inches
Weight: 1.8 kg / 3.9 lb

Book Review 04 : Splendours of Quran Calligraphy & Illumination by Martin Lings

Book Info :

Title : Splendours of Quran Calligraphy & Illumination
Author : Martin Lings
Publisher : Thesaurus Islamicus Foundation 2005
Printer : Yon Art Printing Korea
Pages : 365 pages

Review :

This is one of the best books describing the art & calligraphy of antique Quran. It explains the history of the calligraphy evolution in brief. However the ebst part of this book is the plates of selected beautiful antique Quran pages in color. This is an excellent book especially for Quran collector as a reference.
Dr Martin Lings is a famous English Muslim writer. See below excerpt from Wikipedia about him.
Martin Lings (also known as Abu Bakr Siraj Ad-Din) (January 24, 1909 – May 12, 2005) was an English Muslim writer and scholar, a student and follower of Frithjof Schuon[1], and Shakespearean scholar. He is best known as the author of a very popular and positively reviewed biography, Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, first published in 1983 and still in print.
Lings was born in Burnage, Manchester in 1909 to a Protestant family. The young Lings gained an introduction to travelling at a young age, spending significant time in the United States due to his father's employment. Lings attended Clifton College and went on to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he gained a BA in English Language and Literature. At Magdalen, he was a student and then a close friend of C. S. Lewis. After graduating from Oxford Lings went to Vytautas Magnus University, in Lithuania, where he taught Anglo-Saxon and Middle English.

For Lings himself, however, the most important event whilst at Oxford was his discovery of the writings of the René Guénon, a French metaphysician and Muslim convert, and those of Frithjof Schuon, a German spiritual authority, metaphysician and Perennialist. In 1938, Lings went to Basle to make Schuon's acquaintance and he remained Frithjof Schuon's disciple and expositor for the rest of his life.[citation needed]

In 1939, Lings went to Cairo, Egypt, in order to visit a friend who was an assistant of René Guénon. Not long after arriving in Cairo, his friend died and Lings began studying Arabic. Cairo became his home for over a decade; he became an English language teacher at the University of Cairo and produced Shakespeare plays annually. Lings married Lesley Smalley in 1944 and lived with her in a village near the pyramids. Despite having settled comfortably in Egypt, Lings was forced to leave in 1952 after anti-British disturbances.[citation needed]

Upon returning to the United Kingdom he continued his education, earning a BA in Arabic and a PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London). His doctoral thesis became a well-received book on Algerian Sufi Ahmad al-Alawi (see Sufi studies). After completing his doctorate, Lings worked at the British Museum and later British Library, overseeing eastern manuscripts and other textual works, rising to the position of Keeper of Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts 1970-73. He was also a frequent contributor to the journal, Studies in Comparative Religion.

A writer throughout this period, Lings' output increased in the last quarter of his life. While his thesis work on Ahmad al-Alawi had been well regarded, his most famous work was a biography of Muhammad, written in 1983, which earned him acclaim in the Muslim world and prizes from the governments of Pakistan and Egypt. His work was hailed as the "best biography of the prophet in English" at the National Seerat Conference in Islamabad.[2] He also continued travelling extensively, although he made his home in Kent. He died in 2005.

In addition to his writings on Sufism, Lings was a Shakespeare scholar. His contribution to Shakespeare scholarship was to point out the deeper esoteric meanings found in Shakespeare's plays, and the spirituality of Shakespeare himself. More recent editions of Lings's books on Shakespeare include a foreword by Charles, Prince of Wales.[citation needed] Just before his death he gave an interview on this topic, which was posthumously made into the film Shakespeare's Spirituality: A Perspective. An Interview With Dr. Martin Lings[3].

Ancient Coin Review 05 : Pohon Pitis ( Tin Pitis Tree) - Sultan Mahmud Shah - Malacca Sultanate ( 1488 - 1511 CE)

This is a museum piece antiquity belongs to Malacca Empire Era during the reign of Sultan Mahmud Shah ( 1488 - 1511 CE). This is a complete rare “tree” of coins.

Let me provide some insights of this “tree”. During the era of Malacca Sultanate, tin coins or “Pitis” as they were known, were minted in circular shape for use in the local markets.
This tree was moulded by pouring molten tin though an opening in a mould which runs along a central channel into the side branches and finally into the coin moulds where the katun were cast. After the metal had cooled and hardened, the pitis were broken off and the excess metal of the central stem and brances was re smelted for further use.
Comparing this coins’ tree with my other pitis, I could match this pitis with "pitis" as outlined in Saran Singh’s The Encyclopaedia of The Coins of Malaysia Singapore & Brunei, page 5 ( SS7). The obverse was inscribed in Arabic, “Al Sultan Mahmud” means “ The Sultan Mahmud” whereas the reverse of this pitis was inscribed with “ Al SUltan Al Adil” means “The Just Sultan”. It has circular shape with plain edge and typical weight of 2.60 gm each. Diameter range from 22mm. Made of tin and quite rare if with the tree.
I have a handful of these pitis but never with the tree until now.

Ancient Coin Review 04 : Pohon Pitis ( Tin Pitis Tree) - Sultan Mansur Shah- Malacca Sultanate (1456 - 1477 CE)

This is a museum piece antiquity belongs to Malacca Empire Era during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah ( 1456 - 1477 CE). This is a complete rare “tree” of coins.
Let me provide some insights of this “tree”. During the era of Malacca Sultanate, tin coins or “Pitis” as they were known, were minted in circular shape for use in the local markets.
This tree was moulded by pouring molten tin though an opening in a mould which runs along a central channel into the side branches and finally into the coin moulds where the katun were cast. After the metal had cooled and hardened, the pitis were broken off and the excess metal of the central stem and brances was re smelted for further use.
Comparing this coins’ tree with my other pitis, I could match this pitis with "half pitis" as outlined in Saran Singh’s The Encyclopaedia of The Coins of Malaysia Singapore & Brunei, page 4 ( SS3). The obverse was inscribed in Arabic, “mansur Shah bin Muzaffar Shah Al Sultan” means “ The Sultan Mansur Shah son of Muzaffar Shah” whereas the reverse of this pitis was inscribed with “ Nasir Al Dunia Wal Din” means “Helper of the World & The Religion”. It has circular shape with plain edge and typical weight of 1.45-2.70 gm each. Diameter range from 13-15mm. Made of tin and quite rare if with the tree.
I have a handful of these pitis but never with the tree until now.

Ancient Coin Review 03 : Pohon Katun ( Tin Cash tree) - 16th Century of Johor Sultanate

After a few years searching, at last I managed to acquire this museum piece antiquity belongs to Johor Empire Era ( 16th- 19th century). This is a complete “tree” of coins. This is a rare piece as I haven’t seen such a thing in Malaysian museums yet ( probably I haven’t explored enough).
Let me provide some insights of this “tree”. During the era of Johor Sultanate, tin coins or “Katuns” as they were known, were minted in a variety of shapes and sizes for use in the local markets. Some of these circular, others hexagonal or octagonal. A few of them carried full inscriptions indicating that they were intended for Johor, but the majority were inscribed only with the title such as “ Malik Al Adil” ( The Just King).
This tree was moulded by pouring molten tin though an opening in a mould which runs along a central channel into the side branches and finally into the coin moulds where the katun were cast. After the metal had cooled and hardened, the katuns were broken off and the excess metal of the central stem and brances was re smelted for further use.
Comparing this coins’ tree with my other katuns, I could match this katun with type C katun, hexagonal and class IV as outlined in Saran Singh’s The Encyclopaedia of The Coins of Malaysia Singapore & Brunei, page 123 ( SS30). The obverse was inscribed in Arabic, “Haza Al Masruf” means “ This is petty money” whereas the reverse of this katun was inscribed with “ Dar Al Johora” means “ of the city of Johor”. It has hexagonal shape with plain edge and typical weight of 1.7 gm each. Diameter range from 18-20mm. Made of tin and quite rare per se and RRRR if with the tree.
Interestingly, this tree has a “Kris” shape whereas coins’ tree from other Malay empires has a normal straight branch shape. “ Kris” is a asymmetrical dagger/sword indigenous to Malay world. It has a wavy blade.
This piece is absolutely a priceless relic.

Ancient Manuscript Review 01 : Antique Ottoman Quran 1858 C.E

This is an Ottoman-era Quran acquired from Istanbul in 2006.
Scroll down to see the full spec.
The thing that make this Quran interesting is its small size. Its dimension is 140x110mm. Most of Ottoman Qurans in my collections are much bigger ~200x120mm. This Quran is nicely written with one of the most beautiful calligraphy. It's very neat and the illumination is superb. This is one of my favorite collections.


Quran Specs :
Complete Koran
140 x 110 mm
Decorated Hardcover binding
Clear Naskhi script in black ink within a blue/red frame with gold discs between verses
Vowels and diacritical signs are in red & black
Notes in margin
Multicolored Floral medallion at margin
Copiyst : Al Haj Hafiz Waliyuddin As Syukri
Date : 1275 AH ( 1858 AD)