A decorative illustration of the Holy Ka'aba and surrounding monuments of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, including the Maqam Ibrahim, the Zam Zam Well and the Bab ul'Islam among others.

This particular drawing replicates almost exactly a printed pilgrimage certificate used in Mecca in the mid-twentieth century. The Khalili Collections have an example of this printed edition in their collections (their accession number ARC.ct 7) which includes blank spaces for the name of the pilgrim and their date of the completion of hajj, with dimensions that measure smaller than the current illustration (510 x 400 mm). The present example however does not include any information pertaining to a particular pilgrim and appears to be a purely decorative view, probably produced by a local artist in Mecca at the bequest of a private commissioner.

Single leaf, decorated manuscript on paper with original drawings, depicting the Ka'aba with surrounding monuments, framed within calligraphic panel containing Qur'anic verses, with red coloured additions in a contemporary hand, c. 590 x 475 mm, framed and glazed.