"These wood panels were probably part of a wall casing; some traces of colors are shown on the friezes. The opposing bird motifs were executed amidst intersecting vegetal decorations. This technique became known as slanted or beveled carving, after the transmission of the Samarra style to Egypt in the Tulunid period (254-292AH/868-905AD). These ornamentations are of a Sasanid inspiration characterized by the drawing of the tree of life (Homa or Soma) and decorating using affronted birds against a vegetal background.

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"The artifacts dated to the end of the Umayyad period and beginning of the Abbasid period are characterized by vegetal decorations which imitating nature and carry a clear Hellenistic inspiration that is a mixture of Western Byzantine and certain Eastern Arts, which first appeared in Alexandria. This was typified by decorations involving grape clusters coming out of what looked like flower vases. These decorations resemble those adorning the Aqṣā Mosque in Jerusalem, particularly those executed during its restoration in the reign of the ʻAbbasid caliph al Mahdy (158-169 AH).

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"The wife of the Caliph al-Āmir bi’ Aḥkām Allah ordered the construction of this portable wooden Miḥrāb. Most probably this Mihrab was made in the reign of the caliph al-Fā’iz and his vizier al-Sāliḥ Talā’i‘ between 549-555 AH/1154-1160 AD. That is indicated in an epigraphic frieze of floriated Kufic on its façade. The four sides of the Miḥrāb are decorated with various vegetal motifs such as intricatel trilobed, and five- lobed leaves, clusters of grapes, as well as wooden inlays with poly-lobed star-shaped geometric ornamentation considered the first emergence of the uncompleted star-shaped dishes in the Fatimid period.

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"The comb is considered one of the most important cosmetic tools. They were used for combing hair and beard in order to enhance the man’s external appearance. Each comb has teeth and the area between the teeth is usually adorned with various decorations.

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"This lattice-work Balcony decoration called “Mashrabiyyah” was widely used in the facades of the houses during the Ottoman period in Egypt. It enabled women to look through them and keep their privacy in the same time. Thus, the Mashrabiyyah became the best means of protecting the privacy of the household, in strict observance of the chastity principles of Islam. The term Mashrabiyyah derives from the word Sharābiyyah which refers to the place where the water jars used to be left, outside of the windows, in order to get cooler.

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"The wooden casing is decorated with foliate, and geometric motifs, in addition to small squinches

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"The object reflects an assembly of wood panels forming a star pattern decorated with foliate designs, in addition to a frieze of naskkhi writing applied on floral background. Those panels were brought to the Museum from the dome of imam al-Shafi’i

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"This wooden cenotaph was brought from Ascalon to Egypt to be put in the mausoleum of Imam al-Husayn “May Allah be pleased with him” son of Fatima al-Zahra “May Allah be pleased with her” daughter of the prophet Muhammad “PBUH”. Some Quran verses could be explained as signs of Shiite doctrine and confirms a specific date at the end of the Fatimid period. Some researchers see that it dated to the Ayyubid period because its technique resembles that in the mausoleum of imam al-Shafi‘i . Its decoration is varied between geometric, floral, and epigraphic motifs harmoniously arranged to prove its artistic value

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