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Title

Capital from the palace-city of Medinat al-Zahara with stylized acanthus leaves, vine rinceau and fleurons

Artist

Artist Unknown, Cordova, Spain

Physical Description

This capital, based upon the Roman composite order, features stylized acanthus leaves and rinceau on the bell of the capital, which terminates in a band of bead-and-reel motif on the astragal. This, in turn, is capped by an echinus decorated with three fleurons and vine rinceau on each face as well as four projecting volutes also decorated with rinceau and fleurons. Originally the bell of the capital had two tiers of acanthus leaves, but the capital has been cropped below the top of the first tier and the tips of the leaves, which once curved outward from the surface of the capital, have been sheared off.

Century

10th century

Object Creation Date

936-1010

Accession Number

1979/2.1

Medium and Support

marble

relevance

rank 29.41798

Primary Keywords

andalusia (historical region)

capitals

islam

palaces

rinceaux

scrolling foliage

spain (nation)