An important set of Ilkhanid parcel-gilt Horse Fittings

Persia, 13th/ 14th Century

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Footnotes

Horsemanship was of the utmost importance in the Medieval Islamic World. Whilst Islamic society was mainly an urban culture, the nomadic element was a powerful one in terms of legitimisation of the aristocratic elite, dating back to pre-Islamic times. Riders mounted on horseback are a subject, which features frequently in almost all media of Islamic art. The horse and rider's outfit was an essential part of royal protocol, as part of the annual bestowal of honours on important dignitaries; yet, we know very little of the physical shape of such outfits. While a number of surviving belts, presumably part of a rider's outfit, are known, for the horse's outfit, one has to rely mainly on pictorial and literary references.

The Ilkhanids were a nomadic dynasty. Descendants of Genghis Khan, the Ilkhanids, like their predecessors, maintained and expanded their empire, moving from place to place on horseback. Miniatures of the Ilkhanid period depict horses wearing elaborate adornments, as seen in a painting of Humay recognising Humayun after their battle, from a Diwan of Khwaju Kirmani, dated AH 798/ AD 1396 (Thomas W Lentz and Glenn D Lowry, Timur and the Princely Vision, Los Angeles, 1989, p. 54).

Fittings of this type would have been worn on cloth belts, traces of which can be found on the backs of these fittings. The bird depicted is derived from late Sassanid metalwork. This motif is pre-Islamic and was used often to symbolise royal authority. Based on the quality of workmanship and precious metal used, these fittings would have been part of the inventory of an Ilkhanid royal caravan.

Comparison can be drawn with a larger set recently sold at Sotheby’s (Arts of the Islamic World, London, 24th October 2007, lot 131. For a full discussion on belt and harness mounts in the Islamic world, and a comprehensive group of examples in the Furusiyya Art Foundation Collection, see Bashir Mohamed, The Arts of the Muslim Knight. The Furusiyya Art Foundation Collection, Milan, 2007, pp. 110-36; for examples of horse fittigns in the Nasser D Khalili Collection (David Alexander, The Arts of War. Arms and Armour of the 7th to 19th Centuries, The Nasser D Khalili Collection, Vol. XXI, London, 1992, pp. 48-57; and for further information on horsemanship at this time, see G R Smith, Medieval Horsemanship, London, 1979.