Divine Protection: Talismanic Shirts Worn by the Ottoman Sultans
An exploration and review of the shirts fitted with holy inscriptions on display at the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul
“Even when the texts are clichés, poor translations, or make little sense, having them stamped on the body makes people feel unique, special, beautiful, and full of life. I believe the tattoo is a remnant of magical thinking, a leftover trace of ancestral faith in the aura of words.”
– Irene Vallejo, Papyrus
On my recent visit to the Topkapı Palace, for centuries, the center of the Ottoman Empire and home of the ruling dynasty, I found myself amid a throng of eager tourists filing through the imperial gates. The sweltering sun, contributing to what pundits later reported to be Istanbul’s warmest week, did little to subdue the crowds. After purchasing a discounted ticket and passing through what, in practice, were decorative metal detectors, I entered the first of four courtyards. Finding myself strolling beneath cypress trees with branches that seemed to point out sites of significance, I ducked into a gallery displaying articles of clothing and the detritus of great sultans.
Tucked away among the dozens of preserved cloaks and kaftans were shirts fitted with calligraphic inscriptions. The Talismanic shirts, I later found out, were garments covered with protective prayers and Quranic verses. The thin fabric was meant to act as a layer of supernatural defence, warding off misfortune, illness, and other forms of spiritual evil.
Safavid, Mughal, and West African rulers wore similar shirts, with designs reflecting local tastes and traditions.1 The shirts were carefully crafted by expert artisans to be worn below suits of armor. And yet, despite being made for war, their colors are unapologetically lively, woven into patterns fit for a high-end brand’s summer collection.
These shirts and their modern motifs, worn by men ruling over millions of square miles and subjects, reflect the role of the Ottoman court as a center for artistic innovation and Islamic spirituality. They serve as a reminder of the power of words and their ability to serve as a refuge from worldly chaos, providing a sense of control in a world governed by fate and chance.
If you are visiting Istanbul, I would not pass up the opportunity to visit these revealing Ottoman-Turkish historical artifacts.
Image Gallery:
MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art, “Islamic Talismanic Shirts,” first published December 26, 2023, accessed August 10, 2025, https://mapacademy.io/article/islamic-talismanic-shirts/.
This is a wonderful piece on a form of art that is often overlooked despite its aesthetic and cultural importance .