Shirt of Mail and Plate

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Acording to a Venetian ambassador writing in about 1478, the Ak-Koyunlu (White Sheep Turkoman) wore armor of "iron in little squares and wrought with gold and silver tacked together with small mail." Armor of this type seems to have been used throughout eastern Anatolia, Persia, and the Caucasus. This example is inscribed with generalized phrases extolling the power and glory of the ruler ("Glory to our lord . . . the sultan . . . the king") similar to those found on the Ak-Koyunlu turban helmets also in the Museum's collection (04.3.209, .214, .432). Designed for use in battle, the armor is more elaborately decorated than most and was probably also used for ceremonial purposes.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art