"15mm Abbasid Arab Spearmen figs?" Topic

Look, I know that a number of manufacturers make Arab spearmen, mostly for the Arab Conquest army (Essex, OG, for example). Legio Heroica makes some lovely figures for the later Saladin-fights-the Crusaders period. The dudes I want are for around 800 AD. Did they use the teardrop -shaped Infantry shields by then, or were they still using the round shields of the COnquest period? Were they using helmets, or a burnoose? Robes or trousers? And who makes the little darlings? I have a need for an Abbasid army that therapy has yet to cure.

Some period illustrations:
Umayyad painted statue of a prince, Khirbat al-Mafjir, c.740AD
Umayyad Frescoes from Quṣayr ʿAmra, mid-8th century AD, Syrian, in situ, Jordan
Soldier on an Umayyad or Abbasid Ivory Plaque, mid-8th century AD, Humaymah, Jordan
Abbasid Bowl, 9th Century, Iraq. Qatar Museum of Islamic Art
Abbasid Lustre Bowl with man holding a Pomegranate, Mesopotamia or Central Asia, 9th Century. Christie's Sale 7959 / Lot 12

Druzhina
Illustrations of Arab Costume & Soldiers

Beware of Essex, they seem to be in the middle of redoing their range, and some figures are 15mm and some are 18mm. They can't be mixed without looking wrong.

I've not handled samples of the latest Berbers but the currently listed and illustrated Arab Conquest/Crusades Essex ranges mix fine together.

Teardrop shields were possibly taken up after the Byzantines started using them who may have started using such shields after seeing Frankish cavalry use them.

Ian Heath wrote in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066:

… traditional Bedouin costume. The long topcoat and the under-tunic would have been woven from camel-wool. On his arms are tiraz, bands woven in coloured silk bearing embroidered inscriptions, often from the Koran. Clothing colours were bright, such as scarlet, red, blue, yellow, green and white, and were sometimes striped. Chieftains wore the brightest clothing, decorated with gold and coloured embroidery. Turbans were most commonly white but were sometimes coloured. All Arabs wore beards.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Thanks, guys, this is helpful. Also embarrassing, since I think I own a copy of the heath Dark Ages book and I never thought to look there. Thanks again.

As you mention, Essex and OG. Some others which are generally compatible with Essex are:

Strategia Nova: link

Khurasan; link

A number of Osprey titles exist with various useful illustrations. IMHO, exactly what ancient types looked like is usually mostly guesswork (with a few better-documented exceptions such as Qin Chinese), so we have a certain amount of leeway. I have found all 3 of the following Osprey titles useful: "Armies of the Muslim Conquest", "The Armies of Islam 7th-11th Centuries", "Armies of the Caliphates 862-1098".

MH