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18th February 2019, 04:17 PM
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#1 | |
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Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 10,191
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Quote:
Yet another amazing illustration!! Thank you for all the time you spend seeking all of these to help us better understand many of the salient points you place in these threads. I am a bit puzzled on the 'alem', which is an item not often covered in discussions of Islamic arms. I had thought it was a metal device usually placed atop a pole, in the manner of a polearm or spear and was used as a guidon in forming and directing bodies of troops. These it seems were often lavished with elaborate Quranic passages and symbolism (much as thuluth covered examples in Sudan), but I was not aware these included textile banners. The talismanic (psychological) properties are clear however, as these kinds of inscriptions and invocations compel warriors as they move forward into battle. |
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19th February 2019, 10:10 AM
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#2 |
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE
Posts: 4,408
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Thanks Jim, I read that banners or more likely pennants were tied beneath Alam finials and soaked in the enemys blood would greatly empower the battle ensign (alam_) … See https://www.bing.com/images/search?...iri&FORM=HDRSC2 Below~
An interesting depiction of a procession typical of those of pilgrims going to Mecca with flags waving covered in emblems of their faith ...this was recorded as 13thC. It would seem reasonable that battle Alams would incorporate smaller pennants attached for added Talismanic power and inspired by similar religious flag inscriptions. On closer inspection note Alam and flags as well as pennants are tied to the Alam poles. Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 19th February 2019 at 12:23 PM. |
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19th February 2019, 11:47 AM
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#3 |
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE
Posts: 4,408
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Evidence of the Alam plus pennant tradition of combined flag and Alam which transferred to Battle Ensign style and it seems that the potent Talisman effect would be greatly enhanced by the pennants being covered in the blood of the opponents!
I searched for https://www.bing.com/images/search?q...ri&FORM=HDRSC2 as to clues on the combination of flag/pennant and Alam and arrived at an astonishing artwork below ~ The procession which appears to be a wedding group parading along with musicians but led by the several Alam of rectangular form with finials with religious script and pennants tied high on the poles...again decorated in religious script. Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 19th February 2019 at 12:00 PM. |
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19th February 2019, 08:20 PM
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#4 | |
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Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 10,191
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Quote:
Excellent! It makes sense that pethaps the 'alem/alam' in concept as a talisman used as a battle standard as well might have the term used more broadly. I think that the term 'talisman' may extend beyond its well known definition of protection and bringing good fortune to that of inspiration in a sense. These factors are certainly in mind in battle, and warriors would be more inspired to fight with these elements present..........inspiration. We know that inscriptions such as the thuluth on Sudanese swords were inscribed with invocations in such talismanic sense and these were present on known examples of alem in the Mahdist campaigns. While I had thought of the alem as being a device in the shape of an enlarged spear head on a pole, it was certainly also present in the manner of finial on the shafts carrying battle standards and flags. |
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21st February 2019, 11:47 AM
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#5 |
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE
Posts: 4,408
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The tradition of carrying in procession such Religious pennants attached to Alam goes back as far as can be imagined thus can be seen in artwork back to the time of the founder of Islam seen below advancing on Mecca...accompanied by his entourage and angels. Battle Alam and Islamic pennants attached therefor go back to the beginning of that religion and accompany pilgrims processions and warring groups as Talisman and inspiring soldiers and civilians alike.
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21st February 2019, 03:07 PM
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#6 | |
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Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 10,191
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The tradition of such banners and pennants does indeed go back far into history as you describe, and these artworks representing early Islam signify such importance. Often the use of banners or flags in art in itself become a symbolic device holding reference to deeper matters in the subject matter. In Turco-Mongol and Turkic khanates, later Ottoman, the use of a standard known as a tugh, typically with mounted devices and flowing yak or horse tails was carried ahead of the forces. The word 'tug' apparently means flagstaff and in the Ottoman devices known as 'tughra', the three vertical lines on top of the symbol represent the tugh. That the devices mounted atop these banners would carry important invocations and religious phrases is not surprising, and their symbolism augmented the character of the banner flown. This symbolism was inspirational as well as talismanically oriented and powerfully seen by those following it. The tughra, as we know was often placed on sword blades, and in the manner of patriotic or emboldening phrases displayed the loyalty of the owner to the ruler. This was the case with many devices and symbols on blades in many cultures and circumstances. The images are the tugh standards and the other (which looks almost amoeba like) is a tughra....the vertical lines at right represent flag staffs. Last edited by Jim McDougall; 21st February 2019 at 06:40 PM. |
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