Tarpan

This panel is based on a unique 18th-century saddle in Dresden, Germany. It was presented to King Augustus III by the ambassadors of the Crimean Khanate. The saddle, made in the tradition of Crimean craftsmen, has luxurious details such as gold elements and silver inlays, while the silk seat is embroidered with gold thread in the traditional Crimean Tatar technique. The decoration features a tree of life with clove pinks, roses, tulips, almond motifs and a six-leaf ring - ornaments typical of the Crimean region since the time of the Golden Horde. The tulip symbolises masculinity, the almond and the rose femininity. The clove pink is associated with the wisdom of the adult woman. Embroidery has a different interpretation of ornaments than metallurgy, but the unique decoration of the metal buckle is linked to the embroidered patterns. The whole composition is a wish for prosperity and fertility. 

The ornamentation of the ceramic shield is based on the unique shape of the saddle and the decorative elements of the individual parts of the saddle. In the centre, on the umbo, is a six-leaf flower set in a triangle. It echoes the shape of the wings of the saddle. This composition of symbols wishes protection and prosperity. The accent colours brown and yellow echo the original colours of the saddle and its inlay. Some elements are highlighted in blue, symbolising divine power. In the background, the colour green is considered sacred in Islam.