Body Armour thumbnail 1
Body Armour thumbnail 2
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Not currently on display at the V&A

Body Armour

ca. 1500 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Iran (made)

Body armour comprising turban helmet, mail and plate coat, two mail and plate thigh defences and two vambraces


Object details

Categories
Arms & Armour
Metalwork
Object type
Body armour
Parts
This object consists of 6 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Turban Helmet
  • Body Armour
  • Vambrace
  • Bazuband
  • Vambrace
  • Bazuband
  • Thigh Defence
  • Thigh Defence
Materials and techniques
Steel
Steel
Brief description
Body armour comprising turban helmet, mail and plate coat, two mail and plate thigh defences and two vambraces, West Iran, about 1500
Physical description
Body armour comprising turban helmet, mail and plate coat, two mail and plate thigh defences and two vambraces
Dimensions
  • Body armour length: 80cm
  • Leg defences length: 53cm
  • Arm defence length: 39.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • العز (330B-1898. Written in a very mannered New Style script ("Eastern Kufic"), parallel to one end of the plate.)
    Translation
    Glory
  • العز في الطاعة الغناء في القناعة (On 330B-1898. Written in the thuluth style parallel to the long sides of the plate.)
    Translation
    Glory is in obedience. Wealth is in contentment with one's lot.
  • Transliteration
Object history
This suit of armour was sold to the South Kensington Museum (today the V&A) in 1898, by Signor Bonesi (whose address was provided as Hotel Mathis, Arundell Street, London).
Bibliographic references
  • Power and Protection: Islamic Art and the Supernatural. Ed. Francesca Leoni. Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford. Catalogue of the exhibition held at the Ashmolean Museum, 20 October 2016 - 15 January 2017. p.79
  • Curtis, John; Sarikhani Sandmann, Ina; Stanley, Tim, Epic Iran: 5000 Years of Culture, London: V&A Publishing, 2021. 336p., ill. ISBN 978-1851779291. Pages 188-189, cat. 144.
Collection
Middle East Section
Accession number
330-1898

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Record createdSeptember 20, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O67612/body-armour-unknown/
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