Mahmal
المحمل
An ornate empty litter borne on a camel in the Hajj caravan symbolising sovereign care for the Hijaz; the Egyptian mahmal lasted until the mid-20th century.
Depth
At a glance
- Identifiers
- Wikidata
- Review
- Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it
Sacred space and pilgrimageArts of the book
Overview
An empty, decorated litter carried on a camel in the pilgrimage caravan, symbolising the sovereign's care for the Hijaz. The best known was the Egyptian mahmal until the middle of the twentieth century. 1
People and things also explored
The Kiswa· al-Qullays (the Yemeni Kaaba)· Zamzam Well· Dar al-Nadwa· Dhu al-Khalasa (the 'Ka'ba of Yemen')· The Kaaba· Arabesque· Girih
Sources
- Wikidata
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Mahmal”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/mahmal/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-18.