Przedstawienie irańskich końskich pancerzy w azerbejdżańskim romansie Varqa i Gulshah z początku 13 wieku. O sasanidzkiej? genezie elementu końskiego oporządzenia w okresie seldżuckim

The richly illustrated 13th century Seljuk manuscript Varqa and Gulshah from Azerbaijan provides a number of lavish miniatures, some depicting armored warriors riding horses covered with richly decorated caparisons. The illustrations show that the long caparisons were multi-layered, an indication that they were designed to provide offer some protection for the mounts. Despite the scholars’ opposing opinions, the author maintains that caparisons were well established in Islamic armies as attested by literary sources and iconography. Moreover, the existence of rich terminology concerning different types of horse armor clearly evidences the relative popularity of horse protection. Although the bardings had been were known in by various cultures for in the millennia before the Seljuks, however, the direct inspiration for the appearance of caparisons at that time should must be associated with the Sasanian tradition. Furthermore, the article discusses protective properties qualities of caparisons in which these were provided in a variety of fashions. Firstly, protection was provided could be afforded simply by padding consisting of using a number of textile layers. For instance, metallic armor such as maille or leather armor such as lamellar could have been were stitched into the padded or fabric barding. The – the former is attested in the Islamic world but can be traced back to earlier Iranian traditions.; The evidence for the latter type comes is evidenced from Firuzabad reliefs. However, scattered metal plates attached to the caparisons in random patterns, do not seem to have had any protective function; value they and were merely a the part of decoration. Post-Sasanian origin of Seljuk protective caparisons should be found well evidenced and most probable.