Conclusion

Individually these depictions of violence produced in the Islamic lands from 500 to 1500 play different roles, but several themes emerge collectively. On a prosaic level, the many scenes reflect the unsettled times and places where these objects were made and the constant occurrence of battles and warfare, some of it with sophisticated weaponry.

But the vignettes of warfare and fighting also reflect a more positive view of violence, designed to invoke the prowess and heroism of the object's owner. This triumphal theme extends to nature and the animal kingdom, as man dominates and tames the often inhospitable landscape and the wild beasts in it. Many incidents also allude to the legendary and literary past, particularly in Iran, where violent actions recall tales of heroism and adventure. The scenes on these objects are typically not narrative but metaphorically evoke a story, often an oral rather than a written tale of superhuman heroism. Torture and hell also seem to have provoked a more emotional response than heaven and paradise. In short, scenes of violence produced in the Islamic lands from 500 to 1500 are multivalent, not always just what they appear at first glance.

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Source: Gordon Matthew, Kaeuper Richard, Zurndorfer Harriet (eds.). The Cambridge World History of Violence. Volume 2: AD 500-AD 1500. Cambridge University Press,2020. — 696 p.. 2020

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