48-JLS-0040 ARMS AND ARMOR OF THE MIDDLE EAST An Interactive Qualifying Project Report: Submitted to the Faculty Of the WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science By John David Quartararo _______________________ Jon Mulla _______________________ Guin Petrousky _______________________ Eric Hall _______________________ Joseph Hsu _______________________ Date: Approved: Professor Jeffrey Forgeng Abstract This project was created with the Higgins Armory Museum in an effort to catalogue artifacts of Middle Eastern Arms & Armor, and to place the artifacts in a historical, cultural, and military context. Research papers outline the history, culture, weapons and arms from the lands of Turkey, North Africa, Persia, Arabia, as well as an overview of the advent of Islam. The artifacts have been photographed and catalogued, and all of this information is integrated into an interactive website. 2 Table of Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Islamic Overview ............................................................................................................................ 8 Arabia before Islam ..................................................................................................................... 8 The life of Muhammad ............................................................................................................... 9 The “Rightly Guided Caliphs” and the Umayyads ................................................................... 11 The Abbasids ............................................................................................................................ 12 The Fatimids ............................................................................................................................. 14 Turkish Expansion .................................................................................................................... 16 Later Expansion ........................................................................................................................ 18 The Koran ................................................................................................................................. 18 Traditions .................................................................................................................................. 20 Science and Technology ........................................................................................................... 22 Military Technology ................................................................................................................. 24 Arabic Military Treatises ...................................................................................................... 24 Archers .................................................................................................................................. 26 Cavalry .................................................................................................................................. 26 Artillery and Fortifications ................................................................................................... 27 Persia ............................................................................................................................................. 28 History....................................................................................................................................... 28 Persian Culture .......................................................................................................................... 37 Persian Battle Tactics ................................................................................................................ 40 Persian Arms ............................................................................................................................. 45 Swords................................................................................................................................... 47 Daggers ................................................................................................................................. 50 Guns ...................................................................................................................................... 51 Persian Armor ........................................................................................................................... 54 Arabia ............................................................................................................................................ 63 History....................................................................................................................................... 63 Islamic Era ............................................................................................................................ 67 Culture....................................................................................................................................... 75 Technology ............................................................................................................................... 77 Military ..................................................................................................................................... 80 Arms .......................................................................................................................................... 82 Armor ........................................................................................................................................ 83 Islamic North Africa ..................................................................................................................... 85 History of Egypt ........................................................................................................................ 85 History of Western North Africa (The Maghrib) ...................................................................... 94 Arms of Islamic North Africa ................................................................................................. 104 Blades .................................................................................................................................. 104 Jambiya ................................................................................................................................... 104 Physical Description ........................................................................................................... 105 3 Moroccan Jambiya.............................................................................................................. 105 Nimcha .................................................................................................................................... 106 Physical Description ........................................................................................................... 107 Kaskara ................................................................................................................................... 107 Physical Description ........................................................................................................... 108 Takouba....................................................................................................................................... 109 Physical Description ........................................................................................................... 110 Armor ...................................................................................................................................... 113 Mail ......................................................................................................................................... 113 Limb Armor ............................................................................................................................ 113 Helmets ................................................................................................................................... 113 Shields ..................................................................................................................................... 114 The Ottoman Empire................................................................................................................... 115 Ottoman History...................................................................................................................... 115 Ottoman Culture ...................................................................................................................... 122 Military Culture in the Ottoman Empire ................................................................................. 125 Arms and Armor ..................................................................................................................... 128 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 132 Website Documentation .............................................................................................................. 134 The “Musket Rollover” interactive exhibit ................................................................................. 140 Bibliography 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