This item has been added to the Database within the Explore Islamic Art Collections project. Information is available in: English, German, Arabic.
Horsetail
Vienna, Austria
Kunsthistorisches Museum
About Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Hegira 10th century / AD 16th century
AM_PA_571
Horse hair, wood
Total length: 305cm, Length hair: 56/65cm
Ottoman
Turkey?
Tulgars with horse tails were ancient Ottoman symbols denoting social rank; the Turks had brought them with them when they emigrated from their Central-Asian homeland. Part of Archduke Ferdinand’s Turkish booty, this one may have been used during his “Hussars’ tournaments”. The shape and number of horse tails denoted the rank of an Ottoman dignitary. They were placed in front of his tent and accompanied him when the army was on the march. The Sultan was accorded seven or even nine horse tails as a symbol of his authority.
Comparison with similar objects
Collection of Ambras castle, documented since AD 1882
ILG / BOEHEIM, 1883
Inventory of Furniture and Small Artefacts held at Ambras Castle, page 6
Haag, Sabine, Sandbichler, Veronika, Klarer, Mario, Piraten und Sklaven im Mittelmeer, exh. cat. Schloss Ambras, Innsbruck: Haymon, 2019.
Sandbichler, Veronika, Türkische Kostbarkeiten aus dem Kunsthistorischen Museum Wien, exh. cat., Wien: Kunsthistorisches Museum, 1997.
Veronika Sandbichler, Thomas Kuster "Horsetail" in Explore Islamic Art Collections. Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;at;Mus22;7;en
Prepared by: Veronika Sandbichler, Thomas Kuster
Copyedited by: Liz Cooper
MWNF Working Number: AT2 07
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