The Historical Alphabet/Qalam
Discovering something new about the world in which our ancestors lived—and our own today—is a truly exciting experience! To share this joy with our readers, the Qalam editorial staff, together with the technology company Citix @citix.me, has created a fascinating project of important and interesting historical facts collected in an alphabet. You can now see them on Citix city smartboards and read more on our website.
Paiza
A Sign of Exceptional Authority
Every important official, military commander, tribute collector, and messenger with an important errand in China or the Mongol Empire carried a paiza, or a tablet, as a sign of his authority and privilege. The higher the rank of the individual, the more expensive and luxurious the material of the paiza, with some being crafted from pure gold. The paiza was often accompanied by a jarlig, a paper document that detailed the duties and rights of the bearer of the paiza.
Paiza of Abdulla Khan of the Golden Horde, Second Half of 14th cen.. Found in the Collection of the Museum of the History of Tatar Statehood, Kazan/Alamy
