Textile Fragment with Mamluk Emblem. Dimensions: H. 9 in. (22.9 cm)W. 12 in. (30.5 cm). Date: late 15th-early 16th century.The Mamluks developed a system of emblems or blazons to signify the role of courtiers serving under each sultan. This emblem dates to the reign of Sultan al-Ashraf Qaitbey (r. 1468-96) or of one of his successors, and is likely a fragment from an article of clothing or a piece of furniture. Numerous Venetian Renaissance paintings, including The Reception of the Venetian Ambassadors in Damascus, incorporate strikingly similar Mamluk emblems in their compositions. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.