Mongolian Warrior

Fabric dye & acrylic on fabric, 60 x 50 cm, 2.000 Turkish Liras

In their final centuries, the Abbasids could no longer maintain their former military strength. In 1258, the Mongol Ilkhanids—led by Genghis Khan's grandson Hulagu—destroyed Baghdad, killing the Caliph and other dynasty members. Hulagu Khan’s destruction included burning tens of thousands of manuscripts in Baghdad’s libraries. The remainder was tossed into the Tigris River, turning the water the color of ink for days.

Inspired by an 11th-century Persian tile