Shield and Helmet

The helmet (khula khud) and shield (dhal or sipar) were essential furnishings for the Near Eastern warrior. The dhal was an Indian shield that was also used in Iran (sipar) and areas between. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the round steel or leather shield had four bosses that covered the points of attachment for the two handles that would have been placed on the interior. Shields were sometimes decorated with inscriptions describing the owner's strength, or that of the shield itself. The inscription on this shield includes the word shah(?), and Persian poetry around the rim. The helmet has an applied noseguard, a plume holder, and a chain mail skirt. A second plume holder and a finial that would have been screwed into the top are now missing. The helmet's decoration includes a band of stylized inscriptions, again including the word "shah," and birds at the top and bottom of the noseguard. These items probably never saw battle, but were likely used in Taaziyeh "passion plays" intended to reenact the martyrdom of Hussein, an early Shi'ite Muslim leader and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.