This gorgeous; full-color photographic guide reveals the marvelous collection of the sacred relics at the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul; which houses more than 600 invaluable belongings from prophets such as Abraham; Moses; and Muhammad as well as a number of Muslim saints. Excavated from the most restricted rooms of the palace; the entire selection—including the pieces that are not on exhibit for daily visits—is compiled here for the first time in this fundamental handbook; making it perfect for students interested in Ottoman history; sacred relics of the Ottoman rule; or the broader Islamic heritage.COLLECTION The collection consists of many objects; like Prophet Muhammad's mantle; standard; sandal; cup; footprint on a stone; swords; bow; his tooth that broke at Uhud; soil he used for ritual ablution; and his seal. They also include a cooking vessel of the prophet Abraham; the turban of the prophet Joseph; the sword of the prophet David; a strand from Abu Bakr's beard; the Qur'an that is believed to be the one Caliph Uthman ibn Affan was reading when he was assassinated; swords of the Prophet's companions; Fatima al-Zahra's blouse; veil; and mantle; her son Husayn's robe; his turban; and a piece of his mantle; Imam Abu Hanifa's robe; Uways al-Qarani's felt cap; the crowns of Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani and Imam Sharani; the bowls of Jalal al-Din al-Rumi; the gold rain gutters of the Kaba; the gold and silver covers of the Black Stone; a wing of the Door of Repentance; the lock; keys; and covers of the Kaba; objects like hooks; candles; censers a nd rosewater flasks which were used in the Kaba or in Masjid al-Nabawi (the Prophet's Mosque); pieces of wood; stone; glass; porcelain tile; etc. used in repair of these places; covers and soil from the Prophet's tomb; and the dust called Jawhar al-Saadat [The Jewel of Bliss] which was collected while cleaning the Prophet's tomb. There are also items used for preserving the Sacred Relics through time; or for their transport from the Kaba; such as chests; drawers; covers (embroidered or plain); bundle wrappers; scabbards; and rahle s (low reading desks). In addition; there are brooms and dust pans used to clean the Privy Chamber; candles; aloe wood; framed inscriptions written by famous calligraphers or the sultans; writings describing the virtues of the Prophet ( hilya ); prayer rugs and prayer beads; copper and silver bowls; candles; dervish headgear; zamzam water pitchers; and handkerchiefs and blocks for printing on handkerchiefs.
#575602 in Books The History Press 2011-08-05 2011-08-05Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .31 x 6.00l; .92 #File Name: 159629888X256 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. An Excellent Reference fo the Civil War in WVBy Jason G LutzI have found this book to be most intriguing. The author does a good job of blending multiple narratives into one readable book of a reasonable size; touching on the development of West Virginia statehood; the local units which served in the war; and the battles fought in the area. All while bringing out the human interest side of the war.In my mind; the most useful aspect of this book is that it is a singular book detailing the battles which occurred within the state. My family and I like to travel to the battlefields and prior to discovering this book we had a mismatch of books and pdfs to provide a narrative. I appreciate the work done here.16 of 18 people found the following review helpful. Excellent Study of West Virginia and the Civil WarBy Daniel A. MetrauxMark A. Snell; West Virginia and the Civil War: Mountaineers Are Always Free. Charleston SC and London: The History Press; 2011. 255pp. $21.99 People often say with some exaggeration that that the Civil War was a conflict where brother fought against brother and father against son; but when one speaks about West Virginia's role in the Civil War; there is often no exaggeration. As Civil War historian Mark A. Snell ably demonstrates in his new book; West Virginia and the Civil War; the western section of Virginia that became the state of West Virginia was the most divided part of the nation throughout the Civil War. As many as forty thousand of the new state's residents served as combatants in the conflict; about twenty thousand on each side. There is evidence of a fairly even divide in the loyalties of the residents of the region as well. There had long been a divide between eastern and western Virginia. As one newspaper in western Virginia noted; " The causes of complaint on the part of the citizens of Western Virginia were unequal and unjust taxation; a studied partiality in legislation by the delegates of East Virginia; and an improper appropriation of public funds in the way of internal improvements." When the Virginia Secession Convention passed its Ordinance of Secession on 17 April; 1861; by an 88-55 vote; forty-eight of the dissenting votes came from the northern Shenandoah Valley and western mountain regions of Virginia. The referendum vote for secession; however; was far more divided. Voters in half of the forty-eight counties of the future state of West Virginia supported Virginia's leaving the Union. Despite the great divide in western Virginia; however; leading politicians such as John Snyder Carlile of Clarksburg organized a convention in Wheeling in northwestern Virginia that brought forth a proposal for the formation of a new state; Western Virginia. When the proposal was put forward as a referendum in the counties affected by dismemberment from Virginia in late October; 1861; the vote was overwhelmingly in favor. Author Mark Snell notes; how-ever:The referendum...was not truly fair; because many of the counties of the proposed new state were staunchly loyal to the Confederacy and the old Commonwealth of Virginia with some; if not most; refusing to vote because of intimidation; fear of reprisal or outright rejection of the legality of the ordinance. On the other hand; voter intimidation also kept Unionists away from the polls in those counties with strong Confederate sympathies.A second referendum in April 1862 on the creation of the new state and adoption of a constitution showed overwhelming support again; but the vote was skewed because no returns came in from pro-Confederate eastern and southern counties and the number of voters was quite low. While Snell; director of the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War and professor of History at Shepard University in West Virginia; looks at the great divide among the residents of western Virginia over the question of statehood; he devotes far more attention to the soldiers and battles involving West Virginians throughout the war. We follow West Virginians on both sides as they slogged through a most bitter conflict that cost so many lives.It is ironic that there were occasional lulls in the fighting when soldiers on both sides would fraternize with each other; exchanging such items as coffee and tobacco; but would start kicking each other in earnest once the fighting resumed hours later. One poignant story related how one brother; "Wes" Culp joined the Confederate army while his brother William and a close friend of Wes; Jack Skelly fought for the Union. Jack was badly wounded during a battle at Winchester just prior to Gettysburg. Wes found Jack who gave him a letter to give to his sweetheart; Virginia Wade; a resident of Gettysburg. Wes died at Gettysburg before he could deliver the note; but that mattered little because Wade became the victim of a stray bullet; the only civilian killed during the three days of fighting in the Pennsylvania battle. Snell's book has very detailed accounts of every battle; even minor skirmishes; involving West Virginian recruits. There are times when this endless detail makes for very tiresome reading; but those with a true interest in West Virginia's involvement in the war will find this volume to be an invaluable tool. The writing is clear and the depth of research into primary sources is amazing. Snell's book is a landmark study of West Virginia's unique and tragic role in the Civil War.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Excellent BookBy bugloverI have studied several books about West Virginia and this is the third. The first was by C.H.Ambler who wrote his book in 1940. He tried to be balanced and not to be partisan. But that left out a lot and gave quite a bit of low value information. Then; I read J.K. Farley's book about West Virginia being the illegal state; more good information. West Virginia and the Civil War gave insights into the lives of the soldiers of both sides and what motivated them. I have ancestors that served on both sides. Mostly on the Union side since I was born in Pleasants County which borders on the Ohio River. Personally; I think they should have remained loyal to Virginia because the reason Virginia left the Union was the plan of Lincoln to invade the South. This he had no right to do. You don't attack your kinfolk especially if they wish you no harm. Never the less some of my ancestors thought differently and chose to serve the Union with Company F 14th WVA Infantry. I honor my Confederate ancestor and recognize that he fought for Virginia in Company H 20th VA Calvary C.S.A. Just finding out how many of these men;on both sides felt; has helped me understand the conflict that broke my home state into two parts. I know my past and I know who I am. This is a good book; well worth the reading. I remain a Mountaineer and a Southerner DEO VINDICE
