The Holy Ka’ba. A Study of the Collection of Locks and Keys Kept at the Topkapı Palace Museum in Istanbul

This publication of IRCICA contains detailed descriptions of the collection of 55 locks and keys of the Holy Ka’ba preserved at Topkapı Museum in Istanbul. Following a history of the locks and keys of the Holy Ka’ba and the formation of the collection, each piece is introduced with regard to its shape and mechanism, its materials, its manufacturer if known, the motifs and inscriptions carved on it. The artifacts are presented in chronological order according to the Abbasid, Mamluk, and Ottoman periods.