Persian and Ottoman maces

[Kubur]

Thank you for your reponse my friend
Well i might have found one that i'll post later.

Best,
Kubur

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Thank you for your reponse my friend
Well i might have found one that i'll post later.

Best,
Kubur

Waiting......in the mean time, here are a few images of Persian maces from from the "Shahnama" (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935–1020) Artist: Painting attributed to Mir Musavvir (active 1525–60) Artist: Painting attributed to Qasim ibn 'Ali (active ca. 1525–60). Folio from an illustrated manuscript. Date: ca. 1525–30, Iran, Tabriz, Met Museum.

One of the images shows a mace being carried in the belt of a mounted warrior, the only image of its kind I know of.

[estcrh]

Two maces from the Met, one is said to be Persian, the other Ottoman...but can we be sure, the Met has been wrong before.

[Kubur]

Well based on the design, I'll say that they are right.

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Well based on the design, I'll say that they are right.

So what are the main characteristics to look for to differentiate between them? My admittedly very shallow observations suggest that Persian maces might have an emphasis on flanges used to penerate armour, whilst Ottoman maces have "turban" like, rounded heads? But this may be coincidental and completely wrong.

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by Victrix

So what are the main characteristics to look for to differentiate between them? My admittedly very shallow observations suggest that Persian maces might have an emphasis on flanges used to penerate armour, whilst Ottoman maces have "turban" like, rounded heads? But this may be coincidental and completely wrong.

Well it might be a little bit wrong as a lot of Ottoman maces are winged maces.
Ottoman maces influenced Central european maces. They were very similar.
I suspect the turban like or ognion shaped like maces to be more for prestige than for war. I might be wrong... I wonder if they are heavy or not...



Here two threads on this topic that i found on the forum

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=ottoman+mace

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=ottoman+mace

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Well it might be a little bit wrong as a lot of Ottoman maces are winged maces.
Ottoman maces influenced Central european maces. They were very similar.
I suspect the turban like or ognion shaped like maces to be more for prestige than for war. I might be wrong... I wonder if they are heavy or not...



Here two threads on this topic that i found on the forum

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=ottoman+mace

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=ottoman+mace

Yes there was a lot of cultural exchange, especially with regards to weapons technology. I guess the Ottoman Empire was quite multi-ethnic and its army must have been quite a sight to behold on campaigns. The soldiers in the prints at the beginning of this thread look Mongol in appearance which may be a coincidence, but I think I read somewhere that Persia used Turkish warriors as mercenaries? I got to handle what was described as an 18thC probably Hungarian horseman's mace at an auction (see pic below). It looked more like a prestige object, but was heavy to hold and seemed to be made of solid bronze or brass. Interestingly, the shaft was bent as if it had indeed been used in anger. Many thanks for the links.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Well it might be a little bit wrong as a lot of Ottoman maces are winged maces. Ottoman maces influenced Central european maces. They were very similar.I suspect the turban like or onion shaped like maces to be more for prestige than for war. I might be wrong... I wonder if they are heavy or not...

I think if we identify the maces that are likely to be Persian in style and design the remaining examples can be said for the most part to be Ottoman, the Indian examples are usually easy to Identify. As for the "onion" type round maces...I have nor held one, I asked the seller of one if his was solid, he said it was not. They could have a wood core with a metal exterior, I have seen dented examples but being made hollow would not make any sense except it they were strictly for show.

That being said, I have seen a couple of smooth, round maces which appeared to be solid and I have seen and held one that was solid, very heavy and it would have been a deadly weapon for sure, supposedly Indian but hard to tell on this example. Pictured below.