Talismanic Devices and Imbuements on Islamic Arms

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Evidence of the Alam plus pennant tradition of combined flag and Alam which transferred to Battle Ensign style and it seems that the potent Talisman effect would be greatly enhanced by the pennants being covered in the blood of the opponents!

I searched for https://www.bing.com/images/search?q...ri&FORM=HDRSC2 as to clues on the combination of flag/pennant and Alam and arrived at an astonishing artwork below ~

The procession which appears to be a wedding group parading along with musicians but led by the several Alam of rectangular form with finials with religious script and pennants tied high on the poles...again decorated in religious script.

Excellent!

It makes sense that pethaps the 'alem/alam' in concept as a talisman used as a battle standard as well might have the term used more broadly. I think that the term 'talisman' may extend beyond its well known definition of protection and bringing good fortune to that of inspiration in a sense.


These factors are certainly in mind in battle, and warriors would be more inspired to fight with these elements present..........inspiration.

We know that inscriptions such as the thuluth on Sudanese swords were inscribed with invocations in such talismanic sense and these were present on known examples of alem in the Mahdist campaigns.


While I had thought of the alem as being a device in the shape of an enlarged spear head on a pole, it was certainly also present in the manner of finial on the shafts carrying battle standards and flags.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

The tradition of carrying in procession such Religious pennants attached to Alam goes back as far as can be imagined thus can be seen in artwork back to the time of the founder of Islam seen below advancing on Mecca...accompanied by his entourage and angels. Battle Alam and Islamic pennants attached therefor go back to the beginning of that religion and accompany pilgrims processions and warring groups as Talisman and inspiring soldiers and civilians alike.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

The tradition of carrying in procession such Religious pennants attached to Alam goes back as far as can be imagined thus can be seen in artwork back to the time of the founder of Islam seen below advancing on Mecca...accompanied by his entourage and angels. Battle Alam and Islamic pennants attached therefor go back to the beginning of that religion and accompany pilgrims processions and warring groups as Talisman and inspiring soldiers and civilians alike.

The tradition of such banners and pennants does indeed go back far into history as you describe, and these artworks representing early Islam signify such importance. Often the use of banners or flags in art in itself become a symbolic device holding reference to deeper matters in the subject matter.


In Turco-Mongol and Turkic khanates, later Ottoman, the use of a standard known as a tugh, typically with mounted devices and flowing yak or horse tails was carried ahead of the forces. The word 'tug' apparently means flagstaff and in the Ottoman devices known as 'tughra', the three vertical lines on top of the symbol represent the tugh.


That the devices mounted atop these banners would carry important invocations and religious phrases is not surprising, and their symbolism augmented the character of the banner flown. This symbolism was inspirational as well as talismanically oriented and powerfully seen by those following it.


The tughra, as we know was often placed on sword blades, and in the manner of patriotic or emboldening phrases displayed the loyalty of the owner to the ruler. This was the case with many devices and symbols on blades in many cultures and circumstances.


The images are the tugh standards and the other (which looks almost amoeba like) is a tughra....the vertical lines at right represent flag staffs.