Page 160 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent

motifs used in this portion, including the cypress tree, appear belt (see 76), while the dragon heads with open jaws display-
on other mid-sixteenth-century arms and armor, such as Sü- ing long sharp teeth are similar to those used on gilded silver
leyman's sword in Vienna (see 90). and gold vessels and containers (see 51, 52, 54, and 61). This
There are at least two other carved-ivory dagger hilts, now type of quillón appears on daggers and swords dating from
separated from their blades, that show the same style of deco- the second quarter of the sixteenth century, including the
ration. One of them is in the British Museum, 91 and the sec- refurbished swords of the Prophet Muhammed and the ortho-
ond is in the Victoria and Albert Museum. 92 Ivory dagger hilts dox caliphs. 94
were sometimes dyed green, as is one in the Metropolitan The Vienna dagger has a gilded silver scabbard, affixed
Museum of Art. 93 with a plain silver central component with lobed edges. Pal-
Ivory hilts were also inlaid with black organic material and mettes with trefoil finials are incised into the upper and lower
gem-encrusted gold scrolls, as in Süleyman's yatagan. The portions, repeating the design used on the prong. At the back
same materials and techniques were used on daggers, the is a swivel with a dragon-headed ring for attaching the piece
most outstanding of which is the example in Vienna (93). to a belt.
This dagger has a superbly crafted steel blade with a pierced A slightly later Ottoman dagger with matching scabbard
central groove and a gilded silver guard that was cast in two (94) shows a different technique. The rounded hilt with an
pieces and joined in the center, forming a ridge. This compo- arched pommel and the tapering scabbard with a spherical
nent contains a lobed prong incised with palmettes and a pair terminal are made of jade and decorated with gold-inlaid
of curved quillons that terminate in dragon heads. The ivory scrolls bearing delicately incised leaves and blossoms with
hilt with a rounded pommel and swelling grip is decorated striated petals, in the centers of which are rubies set into high
with black-inlaid floral scrolls over which is a gold scroll, its squared collars. A large ruby is mounted on the apex of the
blossoms set with turquoises and rubies in plain collars. The pommel. At one time the scabbard contained a ring set with
95
execution of the two scrolls is identical to that found on a rubies just above the tip. The scrolls with gold wire inlays,

93. Dagger with jeweled ivory
hilt and partially gilded silver
scabbard, second quarter 94. Dagger with jeweled jade hilt
scabbard, second
and
half
sixteenth century (Vienna,
Kunsthistorisches Museum, sixteenth century (Vienna,
C. 152a) Kunsthistorisches Museum,
C. 208)