:METAL Won.. The Persians, Syrians, and Egyptians were skillful workers in metal. Per haps the earliest centre was in Mesopotamia, at. Mosul. Brass, bronze. and copper were chiefly used. While chiseled bronze and repouss6 copper seem the earliest processes, the works came to be often inlaid with silver and sometimes with gold by different processes: (1) by incrusting a thread of gold or silver into an undereut groove; (2) by inclosing a metal strip or plate between raised walls; (3) by pressing a thin leaf of metal into stipple marks. The entire metal sur face was excavated according to the elaborate de sign, the edges undercut. the threads or plates of gold or silver inserted and burnished, and then the surfaces chased with all the details that could not he given by the general outlines. Ani mals, birds, human figures, hunting scenes, feast ing scenes, and other genre subjects. as well as floral designs, characterize more especially the Persian and Syrian works. while arabesques and geometric patterns predominate in Egypt. In scriptions are made almost always to contribute to the decorative effect. The Mesopotamian and Persian schools. though undoubtedly of much earlier origin, gained new life in the twelfth cen tury, when Tatar and Turkish influence gave to artists far greater freedom in the use of the human figure. The school of Damascus was the most famous centre at the time of the Crusades, giving its 1111 IIIC to the entire process of dama scening or inlaying. The Egyptian school, with its centre at Cairo, flourished somewhat later. under the Alameluke rulers of the fourteenth veal ry. The objects made wholly of gold and silver have almost entirely disappeared, but the inven tories of the palace of the rulers of Bagdad and Cairo prove the existence of many thousands of such objects—vases, boxes, mirrors. stands, lamps, trays. coffers, figures of birds and ani mals, dishes, cups, flagons, bowls. Of these , many objects still remain in the baser metals, either plain or damascened: particularly interest ing are the hanging lainp14, lanterns. and chande liers, the stands and tables, mosque doors, per fume-burners, ewers, boxes (especially writing boxes), trays, and bowls. It is in the magnificent
arms and 11.11101* that the metal-workers showed the supremest mastery, using all the processes, chiseling. damascening, enameling, jewel-setting to produce the masterpieces in the shape of pon iards, sword:, and yataghans. helmets, breast plates. and lances, stirrups. bits, and the rest of the military equipment and caparison. including, in later times, nniskets. pistols, and halberds. In this special field the school of Syria (Damas cus) reigned supreme, manufacturing the best pieces for the entire :Mohammedan world. The Persian style was more ornate, standing midway between Syrian simplicity and Indian gorgeous ness. Sec INDIAN ART.
CLASS. It is in Egypt that stained-glass winClass. It is in Egypt that stained-glass win- dows were Made, rivaling on a small scale the cathedral windows of the Gothic. period. Here, as in every other branch, there is originality of methods. Th,‘ windows are small, forming usually an oblong of less than two by three feet. The frame is of wood and process consists of pouring a bed of plaster into this frame, letting it set, and then cutting out the design, leaving only narrow rims or hands of plaster to hold the glass. The design is extremely elaborate, with a central motif. usually of flowers, plants. and trees: the bits of stained glass cut to tit over the openings are laid on and fastened With fresh plaster. The openings are often slanting toward the street and the plaster artistically finished on the outside. The effect on the inside is similar to mosaic. The commonest designs at-e: pinks. and other Dowers growing from a vase; cypress with scroll of flowers and leaves; kiosk between bud: or eypresses; one or two eypre:ses with thiwers. Earlier than these art. the 1111111' purely geometrie designs. as in the tomb of Bilmrs at Cairo. Of course the plaster is far more fragile than lead as a frame, and the windows easily disintegrate :old cannot be made large. Such windows (called lormuriyr) are found not merely in mosque:. hot in the mrshru bigch or projecting windows of private houses. In harnion? and quiet depth of color they surpass their more colossal (lot hie counter parts.