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MAMLUK CARPETS - Legacy of the Conquering Nomads
By Roy Chatalbash

16th century Mamluk carpet

Among the most exotic carpets woven during the classical era were the ones made in Egypt between the mid-thirteenth and the sixteenth century. Their unusual appearance reveals an amazing story of how art is transformed by the meeting of different cultures. The slave-caste Mamluks overthrew their masters, the Egyptian Arabs, and glorified their rules with objects with which they were familiar-handmade carpets.

The Mamluks were Turks that were either mercenaries or slaves from Arab conquests. They were trained to fill mostly military positions. It was thought that they would be without tribal Allegiances, posing less of a threat to the ruling Class - akin to the Praetorian Guard of the Roman Empire. Yet, the Mamluks proved both military and administrative prowess and wrested control to create their own vibrant Islamic state.

Mamluks drew their inspiration for pattern and color in their rugs from their Turkish background as well as Arabic and Byzantine iconography. They created a new form which did not resemble anything yet known but embodied everything that influenced them. The results were masterpieces in subtle color palettes infused with tremendous graphic power.

At first impression, Mamluk carpets look like old mosaics-colorful, but subdued. The designs are so seemingly complex that it is hard to make out any overall theme. There is little distinction between border and field, and different motifs interpenetrate each other as if elements exploded from the center of the carpet and froze an instant later. This ingenious visual scheme is accomplished by Mamluks’ particular choice of hues and their intensities. Colors are not high in contrast, and yet of the same intensity. The result is “vibration” to the eye. While this may seem odd- the idea that a carpet would be slightly jarring to the eye- it makes sense when one considers the harsh light in Egypt. The very act of coming from the intense sun to a shaded room is difficult to the eye, but it is soothed by this visual effect.

“MAMLUK CARPETS, Legacy of the Conquering Nomads” was first published in “Patterns” by Roy Chatalbash. Roy is a Rugs and Carpets specialist who appraises and consults about carpets. He is an Associate of B. Fletcher & Associates, LLC.

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