The book is devoted to the Hermitage collection of Oriental arms and armour which traces many centuries of arms production history in different regions of the East - Turkey, Iran, India, Central and Southeast Asia, the Caucasus and the Far East. A significant part of the museum collection was formed in the first half of the 19th century and was based on the personal collection of Emperor Nicholas I. The collection continued to grow as a result of gifts from foreign rulers and diplomats, senior military officers and special acquisitions. It also included items seized as trophies in the numerous wars involving Russia in the countries of the East in the 19th century. A large number of these came from the arsenals of the conquered fortresses of Ardabil, Erivan, Erzurum and Adrianople, some were acquired from private collections.
The book is devoted to the Hermitage collection of Oriental arms and armour which traces many centuries of arms production history in different regions of the East - Turkey, Iran, India, Central and Southeast Asia, the Caucasus and the Far East. A significant part of the museum collection was formed in the first half of the 19th century and was based on the personal collection of Emperor Nicholas I. The collection continued to grow as a result of gifts from foreign rulers and diplomats, senior military officers and special acquisitions. It also included items seized as trophies in the numerous wars involving Russia in the countries of the East in the 19th century. A large number of these came from the arsenals of the conquered fortresses of Ardabil, Erivan, Erzurum and Adrianople, some were acquired from private collections.
