The Metal Banners of the Twelver Shiites in View of Selected Models: Form, Origin, Function, and Symbolism

 The research clarifies the sorts of the metal banners unlike that of textile. This type widely spread in some of the Moslem states through a specific period and still used until nowadays. The research also explores that some of those banners preserved in the international museums and the private collections also inside the auctions. Noticeably, most of them are related to Iran and India, and mostly dated to 10^th AH/16^th AD, and 13^th AH/19^th AD centuries. Unfortunately this groups has no a separate study and analysis despite its importance as a unique example of Moslem banners. On the other hand, it gained an importance especially in the usage of iron, and steel alloys, in addition to the decorative techniques employed such as piercing, and open work. Not only copper and bronze were used, but other metals were involved.
This group also gained an importance due to its great connection to the twelver shia doctrine, however, its carried some cultural, ideological, and doctrinal significance, in addition to its consideration as a device used in ancient times and reused in the Islamic ages. This research paper aims to study the some of those metal banners exploring their forms, origins, decorative and fabrication techniques, in addition to their characteristics, functions, history, inscriptions and the reason of decorating them.