Mamluk (Veneto-Saracenic style)

Refers to a sub-group of Veneto-Saracenic metal wares that includes the bulk of such objects. Related to late 15th-century Mamluk metalwork, their designs are organized centripetally or in concentric bands. The motifs, which are typically Mamluk, include alternating knots, twisted ropes, and trefoiled trelliswork derived from calligraphy. None of the objects in this group is signed, but many bear north Italian, and specifically Venetian, coats of arms. Although they do not provide precise enough information about ownership, they are nonetheless evidence of the close diplomatic and commercial ties between the Mamluk and Venetian states.