Pete M's previous post:
"Gaier believes that 1683 is a key date in the development of European damascus gun barrels. The defeat of Kara Mustafa Pasha by Jan III Sobieski at Vienna was a winfall for European gunsmiths. Suddenly thousands of damascus barreled guns could be examined."
This COULD be a foundational observation as to 1. how damascus made it to Europe and 2. why 'pattern welded' iron/steel barrels were developed in the first place.
Islam forbids the depiction of Allah or Muhammed, and the creative/artistic efforts of the different Islamic people groups were focused on Calligraphy and Architecture. There are 6 major script patterns, called
Shish Qalam in Persian and Turkish.
These sites are helpful:
http://www.islamicart.com/main/calligraphy/index.htmlhttp://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/Calligraphy/Islam_Arabic_Calligraphy.htmlThis is Farsi script called
Ta'liq and popular among Persians, Turks, Arabs, and Moslim Indians. The repetitive pattern of swirls is similar to 'Turkish' crolle.
![](http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1373/6511424/16082038/281652548.jpg)
This is
Naskh script which is somewhat like 'Horse-shoe' crolle.
![](http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1373/6511424/16082038/281652544.jpg)
Could damascus have originally been inspired by '
Wootz/Crucible' steel (which is
NOT pattern welded) and made in an attempt to reproduce Islamic Calligraphic patterns?!?