184 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1910. 



arated, and inclosed fanciful griffons, lions, hunters on horseback, 

 parrots, etc. Such patterns prevailed in Sassanian and Byzantine 

 silks. 



The next slide is from a linen fragment of Coptic or Syrian tapestry 

 weaving. Here we have a rather rude rendering of an old Assyrian 

 device, a tiger or lion springing on the back of an ibex or gazelle. 

 Improved representations of it occur in Mohammedan ornament, and 

 in Persian carpets of later date. 



The next slide is from a golden bottle of the sixth or seventh 

 century. Its main ornament, Perso-Roman in style, consists of large 

 roundels, connected together, and inclosing such groups as the one 

 we see of a griffon pouncing on a gazelle, which again is a reminis- 

 cence of the Assyrian device. 



How handicraftsmen and designers working in this style blended 

 it with Chinese ornament and Chinese feeling, which was so prevalent 

 in Asia during the Tang Dynasty (seventh to tenth century), and 

 invented much of what has become Mohammedan ornament, is the 

 next suggestion I have to make with a view to offering some explana- 

 tion of the ornamental designs in famous Persian carpets which are 

 generally regarded as preeminent amongst all carpets. The Moham- 

 medan Conquest dates from the beginning of the seventh century. 

 One of the reputedly oldest Mohammedan buildings, having orna- 

 ment on it, is the ninth century mosque of Tulun, in Cairo. It was 

 doubtless the work of Copts, and I think that Coptic-Sassanian ele- 

 ments as well as others closely resembling in effect modified tradi- 

 tional Chinese patterns — those usually about an ogre's mask — underlie 

 a good deal of the internal ornamentation of the mosque. The inven- 

 tion of the intricate Mohammedan geometric tracery, and interlacing 

 ornament, including the curved arabesques that terminate in conven- 

 tional foliations, seems to throw back to influences of Chinese designs 

 having the same character of line and general scheme. The flow 

 of Chinese influence must have become stronger than ever, when 

 Arabs, in the ninth century A. D., were not only pushing trade with 

 the Chinese by both overland and oversea routes, but also had busi- 

 ness settlements at Canton and other seaport towns in China. Arab 

 rule at this period was most extensive. Their khalifs and governors 

 in all parts — Asia, Egypt, Spain, etc. — possessed themselves of all 

 the material luxuries that resources and native industry could supply. 

 Their luxurious indulgence is the topic of many of their records; 

 and from a single instance such as that of Ahmed Tulun's son, who 

 had in his palace at Cairo a lake of quicksilver, upon the surface of 

 which " lay a feather bed inflated with air fastened by silver bands 

 to four silver supports," one can imagine how superbly they had 

 the best of things ; and. as history tells us, were rightly looked upon— 

 not only in Europe but in China and amongst the Hindus and Tar- 



