Ritual Staff of a Dervish

onbekend/unknown, Iran, undated

iron alloy, 97 cm x 11 cm x 9 cm
The Mesdag Collection, The Hague

This is the staff of a dervish, a Muslim mystic. Dervishes must travel a long road to become one with God. They usually do this as a member of a mystical order; either by means of singing and dancing, like the famous dervishes of Konya in Turkey, or through solitude and renunciation.

Just like a begging bowl, this Persian staff is part of the ritual equipment of such a wandering ‘monk.’ The devil’s head symbolizes the struggle against the evil in one’s own soul.

Object number

hwm0556

Credits

The Mesdag Collection, The Hague

Dimensions

97cm x 11cm, 9cm