REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 103 



serving in many jiarts the original colors. Though much restored it still ])ossessc8 

 the most im|)ortant of its original features. It is covered with versos of the Koran, 

 the Mohammedan formula and other Arabic inscriptions. This precious relic is tra- 

 ditionally stated to have been given by the victorious King to the monastery which 

 still i)ossesses it, and it is only used in the procession of Corpus Christi. Senor Riauo 

 thinks it probable that 'Alfonso VIII' should be 'Alfonso XI' (1812-1350), as he con- 

 siders the banner to be of the fourteenth century work. An appropriate pendant to 

 this comes from the Cathedral of Burgos, the standard of Alfonso VIII carried at the 

 same battle, or, to speak more accurately, all that now renuiius of it, representing 

 the Crucitixion, the Virgin, and St. .John. 



"An Aral) standard of similar work to the tirst belongs the Cathedral of Toledo. 

 This is the Bandera del Salado, made in Fez in the year 1312 A. 1>. The central 

 design is very original, and the combinations of colors singularly beautiful. It is 

 formed of sixteen crescents of gold, arranged in four lines, each having within it, in 

 white on a green ground, the Mohammedan formula repeated eight times, each cres- 

 cent containing one-half of the fomula; and around is a broad border formed by 

 chapters of the Koran, written in intertwined Cutic letters. The effect of the alter- 

 nating tints of g(dd, green, red, and white, which appear to be little affected by time, 

 is very rich and harmonious." 



The rich armor was very striking. Among the collection was noted a comi)lete 

 Gothic armor of the tifteenth century. Another suit of the same century had a 

 helmet with a human mask. The jousting harnesses of Charles V and Philiii II, 

 elaborately chiseled and plated with gold, were displayed on manikins of horse and 

 rider. There were also a number of figures showing the equipment of the foot sol- 

 diers of the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries. On the walls were helmets, tro- 

 phies of swords, daggers, arbalests, coats of mail, helmets, etc., disjilaying a remark- 

 able richness in form and ornamentations. 



Senor Don Jose Estrech, of Barcelona, seut a fine series intended to show the his- 

 tory of arms and armor from the eighth century down to the present time. 



Among other pistols, muskets, and firearms, 'chiseled, incrusted, and damaskeened, 

 was the pistol of Charles V, made by the famous Peter Pech. 



The sword of Pizarro and of Cortes, with weapons and armor stated to be those of 

 the conquerors of Peru, formed an interesting group. 



Several swords of Boabdil. the last Moorish King of Granada, shown are of remark- 

 able artistic value as well as of romantic interest. They are thus described by Mr. 

 C. H. Read: 



"One of them has been already mentioned as coming from the Koyal Armoury 

 but it is plain in make, and its principal interest is its history. It is far otherwise 

 with the beautiful swords belonging to theMarc|ues de Vianeand the Marques Cara- 

 potejar, and another sword belonging to the Archa'ological Museum of Madrid, 

 though somewhat older, belongs to the same class. This last is made entirely of 

 metal, the hilt and guard being of bronze with gilt details, the blade of steel, the 

 total length 40 inches. The pommel is gloViular, flattened on the two faces, on each 

 of which is a circular medallion engraved with ornamental Cufic characters; the 

 grip is fusiform, engraved with circles Joined together by a single twist, and con- 

 taining also Cufic letters. The guard is of the peculiar form characteristic of the 

 Moorish swords of the late fifteenth century, viz, rounded shoulders ending on 

 either side of the blade in a narrow limb running parallel with it, the outer edge of 

 the limb curving inward to the end, where it suddenly turns outward in a hook, 

 the hollow formed by this curving of the limb being filled up in this case with a 

 plate of metal pierced with circular holes. The faces of the guard are (juite fiat, 

 and engraved with conjoined circles, like those on the grip, the spaces between 

 them being filled with engraved floral designs. The bands forming the circles are 

 in all cases gilt. The blade is straight and two-edged and has upon one face the 

 stamji of the armorer, a circle containing badly written characters which have 



