Sebille from dervich bektachi

Sebille from dervich bektachi

Middle East, 19th century

Sea coconut carved with the name 'Ali repeated twice in symmetry, and a star motif symbolizing the twelve Shiite imams. 7 x 21 cm Bektachism is an esoteric religious order, stemming from the Sufi movement of Islam, considered a branch of Shiism because its followers show a particular interest in Imam ʿAlî. This movement was initiated by Haci Bektas Veli, a holy man and mystic philosopher of Alevism, who played a key role in the Islamization of Anatolia and the Balkans. Sebille of dervich bektachi, Middle East, 19th century