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When the Mongols occupied the major basins in northeast Asia, Turkic peoples migrated west to settle in Western Asia, expanding into Eastern Europe to found the Ottoman Empire (1300-1923). At its peak, the Ottoman Empire spanned all three continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa. As it declined gradually, it eventually became the Republic of Turkey of modern times.
The Ottoman and Mughal Empires share an ancestral lineage from Central Asia, making their people of blood relations. This historical background explains how Turkey and India, separated geographically, came to produce similar jade carving traditions.
Turkish jade carving, however, was far inferior to its Indian counterpart in variety and quantity, but it is nevertheless not without its own alluring style composed of stiffer, straighter, and more symmetrical floral themes. Turkish jade is also defined by its acanthus leaf decoration with broad leaves and flat edges contained within virtually indistinguishable outlines, floral decoration arranged in the continuous "open window style," handles that hang down vertically or protrude straight out, and pod-shaped bases. Moreover, floral decorations are made using a shallow scooping technique, which creates rounded or oval indentations unique to Turkish jades.
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Turkish Ottoman Empire Bowl with
Two S-Shaped Handles
Width 17cm Diameter of mouth 13.1cm Diameter at base 4.7cm Height 6.9 cm
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Turkish Ottoman Empire Lidded Urn with Floral Carving
Total Height 12 cm Diameter of body 6.6 cm Diameter of base at widest point 9.6 cm
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