Page 142 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent

76. Jeweled ivory belt (detail), second quarter sixteenth century (Istanbul,
Topkapi Sarayi Miizesi, 2/539)

77. Jeweled ivory belt (detail), mid-sixteenth century (Istanbul, Turk ve
¡slam Eserleri Miizesi, 482)

78. Gold-inlaid mother-of-pearl belt (detail), mid-sixteenth century
(Istanbul, Topkapi Sarayi Müzesi, 2/575)

The surfaces as well as the sides of the plaques are deco- affixed to leather strips covered with silk fabric. The existence
rated with black-inlaid floral scrolls superimposed with gold- of a series of identical examples indicates that they were
inlaid rumi scrolls with niello applied to the large leaves. Set worn by a particular group, possibly by personal attendants
into the rumi scrolls are blossoms with plain round collars of the sultan (Has Oda officials or pages) or the ladies in the
holding rubies and turquoises. Most of the turquoise stones Harem. Both men and women used similar accessories, and it
are carved into six-petaled florets, which is unusual in Otto- would be difficult to identify their specific owners.
man lapidary art. Similar to the previous example, the ivory One of the belts (78) has an oblong buckle with a clasp,
has been treated to create a shiny surface. The belt, only 65.5 and contains a series of oval medallions alternating with con-
centimeters (25% inches) long, either must have been worn cave-sided pieces affixed to a leather strip covered with red
by a slender person or is missing some of its parts. silk. The tongue does not contain plaques, and was meant to
A group of six other belts in the Topkapi Palace employs slide under the buckle. The plaques are carved with hatayi
mother-of-pearl embedded into gilded silver plaques shaped scrolls inlaid with black; the fifth and the last ovals from the
as polygons or as ovals alternating with concave-sided pieces, buckle have a different design, with tulips in the scrolls. Set

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