Author
Mahmud al-Kurdi, Persian, active during the late 15th century
Author Original
محمود الكردي ، فارسي ، نشط خلال أواخر القرن الخامس عشر
Publication Date
The beginning of the twelfth century to the beginning of the thirteenth century AH/the eighteenth century AD
Publication Place
-
Saint Louis Art Museum
Subject
Steel with gold overlay
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع : 66 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
70:1921
Record ID
object;EPM;us;Mus24;45;ar
Library Location
Saint Louis Art Museum
Date
The beginning of the twelfth century to the beginning of the thirteenth century AH/the eighteenth century AD
Notes
The piece is a head helmet (kulah kud) with a four-sided spike shape at the top. Approximately a quarter of the distance below the fork from its head, where the sides are flat, then they become deeply incised, forming four sharp edges. Each incision is decorated with certain shapes of different sizes with a gold layer of covering. The fork then connects to a foot in the form of a golden leafy ball. From the top and sides are decorated with floral and geometric designs in gold. Most of the helmet is decorated with regular arabesques wrapped between them. There is a band around the bottom with a denser pattern of geometric and floral decoration, which It is interspersed with Arabic inscriptions and is connected to the front center of the helmet by a square vertical rod that follows the curve of the helmet. It is connected to a short horizontal stabilizer and is connected to the helmet by two rivets and decorated with gold plating. The ends of the vertical rod are flat in the shape of two leaves decorated with gold. At a short distance from both the left and right ends of the vertical rod there is a short, hollow rod that flattens into a leaf at the bottom and is also riveted to the helmet. The lower lip of the helmet is perforated around the circumference with small circular holes in order to attach wire connecting rings, and to these rings is connected a network of circular links that form a protector. The head has a shield-style aventail or drape of aventail to protect the neck, which hangs over a short distance across the front of the helmet and then further around the rest, amounting to six triangular points. The helmet is in good condition, except for a number of deep dents and abrasions around the top of the spike. The chain link is missing in some areas at the back of the helmet.
Sample Text
“A head helmet (Kulah Kud) with a design with intertwined vines, Arabic inscriptions, and a flower drape to protect the neck” within Discover the Islamic Art Collections. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;us;Mus24;45;ar
