DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.29463#0137
agfm, with his attendents, was responsible for aH questions concern-
ing the sultan's headgear, as well as that of all dignitaries.
Feathers constituted an important element of the Ottoman splen-
dor in dress. Imported from exotic countries, these were always
chosen with great care, prepared, dyed, and scrupulously mounted.
In this held the Turks outdistanced not only European countries but
also their Oriental neighbors, such as Persia and India. They were
fascinated by the colors, fluffiness, lightness, and durability of feath-
ers. The wings and feathers of birds of prey were symbols of cour-
age, bravery, and force in attacking and taking spoils. The same
associations were applied to the skins of wild animals, such as the
lion, tiger, leopard, or lynx. AH these beliefs were based on the
legends of Oriental heroes, like Rustam, and on such ancient heroes
as Hercules or Alexander. There are innumerable fables of fantastic
birds, of the phoenix rising anew from the ashes, of simurgh fighting
with a dragon, or of gigantic birds called roc or Apart from this
symbolic context, feathers were attractive for their purely sensuous
properties: soft and undulating, almost with a life of their own (in
this respect they were similar to Hags), they aroused the erotic imag-
ination. From the fifteenth century onward, great quantities of os-
trich feathers were imported from Africa. The Turks soon became
masters in preparing, dyeing, and elongating (by addition) these
feathers. From the Far East they imported the feathers of birds of
paradise, which were often considered phoenix feathers. Eagles,
vultures, falcons, and hawks lived in huge numbers in the vast terri-
tories of the Ottoman Empire, particularly in Anatolia and Rumelia,
but aquatic birds were also greatly appreciated as a source of beauti-
ful costume decoration. The heron was especially suitable, having
sumptuous feathers at mating season; usually blackened with henna,
these were affixed to sultans' turbans.
During the ceremony of enthronement, the climax of which was
the girding of a sabre in the Eyyub Mosque in Istanbul, a sorguc was
attached to the sultan's turban. At that time the plume was white;
only after his first victories was it changed for a black one. The
number of aigrettes was chosen according to the fashion and the
fancy of each sultan. Occasionally a sorguc was decorated with a
golden chain wound around the turban, which was probably a very
old symbol of sovereignty, going back to the Omayyad caliphs, while
the plume decoration was surely a product of Central Asia.'^
113
ing the sultan's headgear, as well as that of all dignitaries.
Feathers constituted an important element of the Ottoman splen-
dor in dress. Imported from exotic countries, these were always
chosen with great care, prepared, dyed, and scrupulously mounted.
In this held the Turks outdistanced not only European countries but
also their Oriental neighbors, such as Persia and India. They were
fascinated by the colors, fluffiness, lightness, and durability of feath-
ers. The wings and feathers of birds of prey were symbols of cour-
age, bravery, and force in attacking and taking spoils. The same
associations were applied to the skins of wild animals, such as the
lion, tiger, leopard, or lynx. AH these beliefs were based on the
legends of Oriental heroes, like Rustam, and on such ancient heroes
as Hercules or Alexander. There are innumerable fables of fantastic
birds, of the phoenix rising anew from the ashes, of simurgh fighting
with a dragon, or of gigantic birds called roc or Apart from this
symbolic context, feathers were attractive for their purely sensuous
properties: soft and undulating, almost with a life of their own (in
this respect they were similar to Hags), they aroused the erotic imag-
ination. From the fifteenth century onward, great quantities of os-
trich feathers were imported from Africa. The Turks soon became
masters in preparing, dyeing, and elongating (by addition) these
feathers. From the Far East they imported the feathers of birds of
paradise, which were often considered phoenix feathers. Eagles,
vultures, falcons, and hawks lived in huge numbers in the vast terri-
tories of the Ottoman Empire, particularly in Anatolia and Rumelia,
but aquatic birds were also greatly appreciated as a source of beauti-
ful costume decoration. The heron was especially suitable, having
sumptuous feathers at mating season; usually blackened with henna,
these were affixed to sultans' turbans.
During the ceremony of enthronement, the climax of which was
the girding of a sabre in the Eyyub Mosque in Istanbul, a sorguc was
attached to the sultan's turban. At that time the plume was white;
only after his first victories was it changed for a black one. The
number of aigrettes was chosen according to the fashion and the
fancy of each sultan. Occasionally a sorguc was decorated with a
golden chain wound around the turban, which was probably a very
old symbol of sovereignty, going back to the Omayyad caliphs, while
the plume decoration was surely a product of Central Asia.'^
113