Exploring the many wonders of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) could be daunting for some, given the wide array of artefacts that the spectacular structure stores. To make matters easy for the culture curious, MIA has compiled a series of tours such as the Science in Art Tour and the Chinese Trail Tour. Here, we share with you MIA’s fascinating Highlights Tour:


Silk Velvet Panel
Silk textiles such as this one were highly prized during the rule of the Safavid dynasty in Iran (1501-1722 CE). In this panel, two elegantly clad females participate in the popular pastime of falconry. The pigeon wings tied around their waists alongside a cord and hood were meant to lure falcons. The long robes and pointed shoes are reminiscent of Safavid fashion at that time, but the small hats and deeper necklines indicate a European influence. Asian and European monarchs alike admired Safavid textiles for their use of silver, gold and other fine materials, and they were often given as political and diplomatic gifts. This piece – Voided Silk Brocade Velvet with Metal Threads SafavidIran, Early 17th century CE – can be found in the Pattern in Art Gallery on Floor 2.


Tilework Cenotaph
In some regions of the Islamic world, tombs and grave markers developed through history as artistic and architectural features. This cenotaph comes from the area around the city of Khiva in today’s Uzbekistan, and is decorated with Persian and Arabic poetic lamentations that mourn the deceased. The use of an early form of ‘thuluth’ script and turquoise and cobalt blue tiles are defining features of the region’s artistic style at this time. This piece — Glazed Ceramic, Central Asia (Khiva), 14th century CE — can be found in the Writing in Art Gallery on Floor 2.


Shahnameh Manuscript
The ‘Shahnameh’ or ‘The Book of Kings’ charts the histories and myths of the Greater Persian Empire, which stretched across much of Central Asia, Iran and Afghanistan until the arrival of Islam. The Shahnameh was written 1,000 years ago by the poet Ferdowsi, and includes more than 50,000 Persian verses. This copy was made in Iran by the scribe Hidayat Allah Shirazi in his native city of Shiraz. This piece – Leather, Paper, Gilding, Watercolour, Ink, Safavid Iran (Shiraz), 1583 CE – can be found in the Figure in Art Gallery on Floor 2.


Carved Emerald Plaque
The Mughal rulers of South Asia held extensive treasuries of gemstones mined both within their own territories and abroad. Emeralds were imported from Colombia by Portuguese and Spanish traders to India for Mughal patrons where they were polished and shaped by master lapidaries at the royal court. This large emerald is inscribed on one side with a prayer in Arabic script and carved on the other with a floral motif. This piece — Emerald Mughal India, 1695-96 CE — can be found in the India 16th-18th century Gallery on Floor 3.


Coffee-cup holder
This gold coffee cup holder, called a ‘zarf’ in Turkish, is made richly embellished with diamonds and rubies. Each gemstone has been carefully hand-cut to fit into floral motifs by a master lapidary. This process was highly skilled and would have resulted in considerable wastage. Elaborate coffee-cup holders were used for the ritualised drinking of coffee popular through the centuries in Turkey, protecting the drinker’s fingers from the hot cup held inside. This piece — Diamond & Ruby-Set Gold Turkey or Europe (probably Switzerland), 19th century — can be found in the India and Turkey 16th-18th century Gallery on Floor 3.


The ‘Cavour’ vase
This vase is one of a small group of blue-purple enamelled and gilded glass vessels made in Syria and Egypt during the Mamluk period (circa 1250 – 1517 CE). Its inscriptions carry the titles of an unnamed sultan. The name ‘Cavour Vase’ stems from a tradition — which remains unproven — that the vase once belonged to Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour (1810-61 CE). This piece — Glass, Enamelled, Gilded, probably Syria, 13th century CE — can be found in the Egypt & Syria 12th-13th century on Floor 3.


Architectural Capitals
This set of architectural capitals are believed to have come from the now-ruined palace city of Madinat al-Zahra outside Cordoba in Al-Andalus — the centre of the Arab empire that stretched across southern Spain and beyond for eight centuries (circa 711 – 1492 CE). The marble-carved capitals show vegetal designs reminiscent of the Roman and Visigothic cultures present in Spain before the arrival of Arab rulers, and exhibit the skill of stone carvers in the region. This piece — Marble, Umayyad Spain (Cordoba), 9th-10th century CE — can be found in the Early Islamic Art 7th-12th century Gallery on Floor 3.