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Comments

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  Kathleen McCabe-Elsey March 2, 2011 at 3:38am

  WOW - I have always wondered!  Are you going to seal this back up?
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  Cam Knuckey March 2, 2011 at 12:33pm

  Good, that'll stop me from getting curious, thanks.
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  SARAH CORBETT March 2, 2011 at 1:53pm

  Hi Kathleen,

  The kitab was already coming apart at the back of the piece. I bought it because I had always wondered what went inside! ....There were the pieces above and lots of sand and some dead bugs! The small printed book is the 99 names of Allah, I didn't unwrap the pieces of paper as I feared damaging them. I did however note that the papers were all of different ages from plain parchmenty type through to lined paper!  My Saharwi friend explained that there were a Magic number square...the same with letters (these were the two with the circles on the front (These were the two on the oldest paper)) .... and the newest paper held verses and protective poems.

  I sold the piece 8 years ago to a private collector...kinda wish I still had it!
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  Toya May 15, 2011 at 3:46am

  I love this photo because it is a reminder that these pieces we love to collect had a deep meaning for the people who once owned them.
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  Suzan Kaplan September 16, 2011 at 9:12pm

  Thank you for this. Much understanding about how and why comes just from seeing what's inside. Are there any rules against opening them?
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  SARAH CORBETT September 16, 2011 at 10:04pm

  I would never have opened a complete one , but thisone was already in pieces..
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  Toya September 17, 2011 at 12:34am

  I have one of these old kitabs that makes a lovely swooshing sound when I shake it. I think there is sand inside. Does anyone know if there is a custom of putting sand inside these special pendants?
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  Eva Baby September 17, 2011 at 8:39am

  this is really interesting! I have never seen one opened before nor their contents, I was only told what it might contain (protective papers, coranic verses, etc.) . The sand surely got in during its "life" and was not put in on purpose. I have some rings with hollow parts on top containing small stones who make a noise when shaking. But I have never seen this in Kitabs and don't think that the sand was put inside on purpose, but got into it during its use. In the desert, with the sometimes heavy winds, sand can enter anything, I can talk about this, as I lost two cameras taken on a desert trekking on camels. Both "died" from sand, although I thought I had protected them.
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  SARAH CORBETT September 17, 2011 at 10:29am

  Hi Eva and Toya, having experienced a sand storm, I agree totally with you eva, that sand gets everywhere. some of the sand is very fine even like a dust, it can pass through fabric weave and into most everything!
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  Eva Baby September 17, 2011 at 10:37am

  @HI Sarah, you would not believe it, when I got home from my long trekking, I cleaned everything, at first myself, inclusive hair, etc..... but one week later I still found particles of sand on me - some was in my nose, other in my ears, although I had cleaned it.. And in the clothes and shoes, it remained quite long in tiny openings.