Page 161 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent

The same techniques were applied to jade plaques decorat-
ing arms and armor as well as saddles and horse trappings.
These plaques, generally shaped as lobed ovals and framed in
gold, were affixed to leather, velvet, and metal pieces. An un-
usual example (97), executed in mother-of-pearl, was said to
come from horse trappings. The plaque, backed and framed
in gilded silver, is carved with two scrolls bearing blossoms
and leaves; the lower one, rendered in a spiral design, is in-
laid with black, and the upper one, which is in relief, is inlaid
with gold and contains blossoms encrusted with rubies and
turquoises set into plain round collars. The same materials,
techniques, and designs were observed on an ivory belt and a

95 (left) and 96 (right). Jeweled jade archer's rings, second half sixteenth dagger (see 76 and 93); mother-of-pearl, backed and framed
century (Istanbul, Topkapi Sarayi Miizesi, 2/74 and 2/83) with gilded silver, was also used on another belt (see 78).
Among the most decorative and yet functional arms and
armor were embroidered wicker shields, which must have
created a dazzling spectacle when the army marched to battle
or paraded through cities. These extremely sturdy and light-
finely detailed leaves and blossoms, and gems set into floral weight shields have basically the same shape and size; they
mounts are identical to those used on several carved stone are 60 to 67 centimeters (about 23 to 26 inches) in diameter,
bookbindings, vessels, and containers discussed above, partic- with a slightly convex outer zone constructed of wound
ularly the Koran covers, black stone jug, and jade cup and wicker. The central boss, rising to 15 or 16 centimeters (ap-
tankard (see 20, 21, and 64-66). The gold guard reveals an proximately 5 inches), was made of steel or iron and often
abstracted version of the dragon-headed curved quillons seen inlaid with gold. The underside is padded and lined with vel-
on the previous example. It is incised with floral scrolls and vet or other soft fabrics, has a square cushion in the center to
encrusted with rubies set into plain ring mounts. protect the elbow, and is supplied with cord handles and fas-
The steel blade is also inlaid with gold and contains the tenings that looped around the arm. The designs on the
same design on both sides, divided into two sections by a pair wicker portion are varied, combining saz scrolls, sprays of nat-
of palmettes. Saz scrolls are placed on the upper portions and uralistic flowers, cloud bands, and çintemani patterns.
talik inscriptions, separated by a central ridge and gold-inlaid Wicker shields, which appear to have been introduced in
cartouches, appear in the two convex compartments of the the first half of the sixteenth century, were used throughout
lower portions. One side of the blade has a Turkish poem the 1600s. There is little evidence that the practice continued
and the other a Persian one. 96 beyond the eighteenth century; changes in warfare technol-
The same materials and techniques were used on jade ogy may have made them obsolete. These attractive shields,
plaques decorating swords, scabbards, shields, bow cases, and
quivers in addition to archer's rings, called zehgir, which have
a wide pointed edge to protect the thumb. One of these rings
(95), made of pale green jade, is inlaid with gold and set
with rubies, using the style discussed on the dagger and scab-
bard. It contains two rows of ruby-centered blossoms in the
front and sides, and a large emerald at the back. The gems,
set into high, slightly squared collars rising in the center of
the blossoms, are surrounded by gold wire scrolls bearing
rumis and feathery leaves with finely incised details. The flo-
ral elements, inlaid into shallow grooves, are rendered in re-
lief and rise above the surface.
A second example (96), carved from jade of the same
color, employs both the flatly inlaid rumi scrolls that lie flush
with the surface and raised blossoms holding gems. A large
emerald is set into a flower in the front, while rubies appear
in the blossoms around the sides. The combination of flat and
raised gold inlays, also observed in other jade examples, in- 97. Jeweled mother-of-pearl plaque, second quarter sixteenth century
cluding Koran covers, was characteristic of the age. (Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum, C. 152b)

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