MAMLUK TEXTILES WITH PATCH-WORKED BLAZONS

Abstract

This research includes a study of about thirty Mamluk textile fragments with patch-worked blazons clarifying three kinds of Mamluk blazons; such as simple emblems like personal and blazons of post, as well as composite and epigraphic ones.These fragments shed the light on the importance of the textile used (such as hard linen, colored wool, and cotton). They are also clarify various kinds of stitches used in applying and fixing the blazons (such as the Ḫiyamiyah technique, darn stitch lafq, and cording stitch tafāsīr which is used for fixing the exterior frames and the inner details for the blazon’s area).The fragments also reflect the authentic colors of the textile used in applying those various blazons, comprising new styles never occurred before the Mamluk architecture and arts. In addition, there were not examined before by those who study blazons such as the late Mayer, and Meinecke. Those textiles of patch-worked blazons revealed their main usage. However, it is hard to prove that they were parts of garments for the sultans or Emirs. Most probably, they were used for making curtains, flags, seats back for the high officials “baštamīḫ” in addition to the saddle covers of the sultanic livestock such as horses, mules, and camels, as well as robes ‘ibby, and hard and thick saddle covers balāsāt.