This magnificent brass tray is a masterwork of Mamluk ceremonial metalwork, its vast surface transformed into a tapestry of calligraphy, figural scenes, and allegorical symbolism. With its monumental size and weight, it stands not only as a utilitarian vessel but as a proclamation of prestige, devotion, and authority, a “visual manuscript” in engraved brass.

Calligraphic Inscriptions
Radiating across the central field are praises to the Sultan, inscribed in bold Thuluth script:

Arabic:
"العز لمولانا السلطان الظاهر بيبرس القائد الناصر الفارس المغوار"

Transliteration:
al-ʿizz li-mawlānā al-sulṭān al-ẓāhir Baybars al-qāʾid al-nāṣir al-fāris al-mighwār.

Translation:
“Glory to our lord, the Sultan al-Ẓāhir Baybars, the commander, the victorious, the knight, the valiant.”

Additional inscriptions around the rim invoke blessing and justice, intertwining script with vegetal ornamentation.

Artistic Details

• Central Medallion: At the heart of the tray sits an engraved scene of the Sultan as mounted warrior, surrounded by attendants, beasts, and soldiers. Lions, peacocks, and mythic animals enliven the courtly tableau, symbolizing kingship, guardianship, and cosmic order.
• Sunburst Calligraphy: From the center radiates a bold sunburst of elongated Thuluth script, its rays stretching outward as a metaphor of divine illumination and the spread of wisdom.
• Arabesque Tendrils: Flowing arabesques weave between the letters, enhancing the cosmic and celestial quality of the design.
• Figural Registers: Encircling the medallion are registers filled with beasts and crowned human figures in almond-shaped cartouches, guardians of the text and emblems of power and virtue.
• Knights’ Procession: The outermost band is engraved with sixty-four knights in procession, each depicted in varied stances of readiness and protection, symbolizing the Sultan’s might and the loyalty of his court.
• Rim Motifs: The tray’s broad rim is adorned with repeating teardrop motifs, echoing the radiance of the central calligraphy and binding the composition in symmetry.
• Surface Finish: The engraved brass, darkened in recesses yet glimmering on raised lines, produces a visual depth that animates the figures and patterns across its monumental field.

Interpretation
This tray is not merely an object of function but a storytelling surface of political and spiritual weight. At its center, Sultan Baybars appears as both commander and guardian, encircled by soldiers and beasts that proclaim his authority and cosmic role. The surrounding knights embody loyalty and martial strength, while the calligraphy sanctifies his rule with divine blessing. Together, these elements render the tray a ceremonial manuscript in metal, a proclamation of rulership, protection, and sacred order, designed for both display and devotion.