Gordon's School

Item Set

Items

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  Letter from Sayyid 'Abd al-Rahmān al-Mahdi

  The letter assures the reader of the respect and esteem that Muhammad Ahmad al -Mahdi held for General Gordon. It quotes extensively a letter from his father to Gordon, which was written on the 17th of January 1885. 'Abd al-Rahmān was an important political figure in his own right during the colonial era (1898-1955).
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  General Gordon portrait

  A watercolour painting of Major General Gordon in civilian dress by Lady Abercrombie. The painting has a dark background with Gordon dressed in a shirt, tie and jacket. The frame of the painting is wooden with lots of detail etched into it, the wood is bronze coloured. [FHM 09/2019]
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  Underarmour & helmet

  Suit of chain mail with a padded underarmour jerkin, an iron and mail headpiece and patched Jibbah under the jerkin. [FHM 09/2019]
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  Two Dark Metal Drums

  Two dark metal semi-circular drums in brass or copper, with tan-coloured skins. Riveted joints to metal parts, with visible tool marks where it has been beaten to shape. Some etching, possibly Arabic, is visible. [FHM 09/2019]
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  jibbah

  A Jibbah, that is cream coloured with patches of brown, orange, dark blue and black. [REM 01/2020]
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  hat and sandals

  A small red and black Anṣār (الأنصار) hat and two pairs of sandals. These were picked up at Battle of Atbara. The sandal and hat are made strips of leather wich are interwoven to a leather sole. [FHM 09/2019]
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  railing

  A section of brass railing from Mahdi's tomb, which has been turned in sections. There are four joint areas for attaching the vertical sections. Contemporary photographs in the Royal Collection show the railings in situ inside the damaged qubba (domed tomb). The railings were previously looted from the Mission Church in Khartoum. [FHM 09/2019, FN/ON 02/2020]
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  Anṣār (الأنصار) jibba

  Late-period anṣār (الأنصار) smock-shaped garment, fawn in colour, with short sleeves. Features patches of orange, brown, black and dark blue. [FHM 25/09/2019]
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  bowl

  A large wooden Sudanese food bowl. The bowl has a very dark varnish and inscised geometric pattern on the rim. [FHM 25/09/2019]
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  Large silk banner, possibly carried by Anṣār (الأنصار)

  Banner carried by Anṣār (الأنصار) in battle. Fine silk fabric sewn together in three strips (green/gold/green), with white cotton appliqued lettering and border of rough local cotton. The name of the Sufi mystic, ʿAbd-al-Qādir al-Jīlānī, is spelled incorrectly. The elegant Arabic script reads: يا الله يا رحمن يا رحيم يا حي يا قيوم يا ذالجلال والاكرام yā allah yā raḥman yā raḥīm yā ḥayy yā qayūm yā ḍhi’l-jalāl wa’l-ikrām Oh Allah, O the compassionate, O the merciful | O ever-living, O everlasting, O Lord of Majesty and Generosity لا الله الا الله محمد رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم lā illah ill’allah muḥammad rasūl allah ṣalla allah ʿaleyhi wa sallam There is no god but Allah [and] Muḥammad is the Prophet of Allah | The blessings and peace of God be upon him محمد المهدي خليفة رسول الله الجيلي ولي الله muḥammad al-mahdī khalīfat rasūl allah al-jīlī walī allah Muḥammad the Mahdī is the successor of the Prophet of Allah [and] al-Jīl[ān]ī is a friend of Allah [FHN 14.8.19/FHM 2019]
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  Anṣār (الأنصار) banner

  Very large banner, possibly carried by Anṣār (الأنصار) in battle but in remarkable condition. Fine silk fabric in faded green, with white cotton lettering sewn on (rather then appliqued) and running over conventional line length. Border of fine white cotton. The name of the Sufi mystic, ʿAbd-al-Qādir al-Jīlānī, is spelled correctly on this banner, although a spelling error in the final line is corrected with the insertion of the missing letter. The Arabic script reads: يا الله يا رحمان يا رحيم يا حي يا قيوم يا ذالجلال yā allah yā raḥmān yā raḥīm yā ḥayy yā qayūm yā ḍhi’l-jalāl Oh Allah, O the compassionate, O the merciful | O ever-living, O everlasting, O Lord of Majesty والاكرام لا الله الا الله محمد رسول الله wa’l-ikrām lā illah ill’allah muḥammad rasūl allah and Generosity | There is no god but Allah [and] Muḥammad is the Prophet of Allah محمد المهدي خليفة رسول الله الجيلاني ولي الله muḥammad al-mahdī khalīfat rasūl allah al-jīlānī walī allah Muḥammad the Mahdī is the successor of the Prophet of Allah | al-Jīlānī is a friend of Allah [FN/ON 14.8.19, FHM 2019]
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  Tambura

  A stringed instrument with two strings and two keys, possibly a Sudanese tambura, resonator or soundbox made from tortoise shell and painted wood. [FN/ON/FHM 2019]