Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Turban Helmet
A warrior would have worn this helmet over a cloth turban. He would have been confident of being safeguarded in battle by the writing around the helmet's rim. The inscription from the Qur'an is garbled, however, indicating that its Iranian maker may not have known Arabic. Yet the presence of Arabic writing apparently was thought to be enough to invoke the protective power of God's word.
This helmet once belonged to the royal arsenal in Istanbul, Turkey. It was probably part of the war booty amassed by the Ottoman Dynasty during the many wars between Turkey and Iran. Later, it was owned by the French painter Jean-Léon Gérôme, who traveled throughout the Near East and painted many scenes of Muslim life.
Inscription
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Armory of Constantinople; Jean-Léon Gérome Collection; Dikran Kelekian, New York and Paris; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1913, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 2/23/1962 | Treatment | coated |
| 7/29/1974 | Treatment | cleaned; coated |
Geographies
Turkey
(Place of Origin)
Iran (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 15 3/16 x Diam: 9 3/16 in. (38.5 x 23.4 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1913
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
51.70