Banner
BackDescription:
Ottoman beige silk banner with metal thread; decorated with inscriptions set in medallions. The roundels to the left and right in the main field bear the names of God, Muhammad and the four Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali. The crescent in the centre carries the inscription ‘help from God and a speedy victory; give the glad tidings to the believers’ (Qur’an 61:13) and an invocation to God as a preserver and source of comfort. The two medallions on either side contain the inscription ‘and my success can only come from God’ (Qur’an 11:88). The border, made of a separate red silk fabric with metal thread, repeats Surat al-Ikhlas (Qur’an 112).
Object type: | banner |
Museum number: | As1980,Q.211 |
Culture/period: | Ottoman dynasty |
Date: | 1650-1700 |
Production place: | Made in: Turkey |
Materials: | silk (?), metal |
Technique: | woven |
Dimensions: | Width: 208.00 cm Length: 329.00 cm |
Location: | 51 |
Curator's comments:
This large banner is decorated with inscriptions set in medallions. The roundels to the left and right in the main field bear the names of God, Muhammad and the four Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali. The crescent in the upper centre carries the inscription ‘help from God and a speedy victory; give the glad tidings to the believers’ (Qur’an 61:13) and an invocation to God as a preserver and source of comfort. The two medallions on either side of it contain the inscription ‘and my success can only come from God’ (Qur’an 11:88). The border, made of a separate red silk fabric with metal thread, repeats Surat al-Ikhlas (Qur’an 112). Banners such as this were carried into battle by Ottoman troops and helped identify regiments on the field while also serving as an appeal to God for protection and success.
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