- Title
- Ornament from a Janissary's Cap
- Date Made
- 17th century
- Medium
- Silver, gilt, decorated with flattened wire and granulation
- Dimensions
- 10 1/16 x 3 3/4 in. (25.55 x 9.52 cm)
- Accession Number
- M.2002.1.27
- Collecting Area
- Art of the Middle East: Islamic
- Curatorial Notes
The highly disciplined Janissary corps formed the sultan’s crack infantry troops. As a part of their uniform, the Janissaries wore a distinctive felt hat somewhat like a stocking cap in appearance (see M.85.237.42), to which was affixed just above the forehead an ornament such as this rare silver gilt example, which was perhaps reserved for officers. Slightly concave and decorated with delicately worked geometric designs, it probably represents an abstract version of the wooden "spoon" worn by the ordinary Jannissary as an insignia demonstrating his loyalty to the sultan—signifying that it was the ruler who provided him with his daily soup.
