A fun project: Mongolian Passport in Leather

The original artifact, cast in bronze and way awesome

Although used by the Chinese in earlier centuries, it wasn't until the Mongolian Yuan dynasty that examples of this kind of passport became commonplace. This tablet of authority allowed the bearer access to civilian and government goods such as rations and fresh mounts at relay stations across the empire, allowing government officials to travel vast distances quickly with little delay.

Referred to as a Paiza (plural: Paizi), these iron or bronze medallions were worn around the neck or attached to an item of clothing and presented to customs officials. The bearer was entitled to a great deal of benefits including exemption from road taxes. This led to several abuses of the passport over the years, and many Khans would harshly regulate or remove the power of the Paiza bearers.

The original example is iron with silver inlay. The script is Phagspa, a written language developed by Tibetan monks for the Mongolian empire. It reads:

By the strength of Eternal Heaven,
an edict of the Emperor [Khan].
He who has no respect shall be guilty.

Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

8.5x11 = Best first draft ever.

The reproduction has been crafted from thick 8 ounce leather, measured to the same size as the one in the 'Met. After cutting out the leather, the edges were rounded and cleaned then the design was traced into the leather through a piece of paper with the same design as the original artifact.

The script, while not Phagspa, is classical Chinese which has been in use since the 5^th century CE. A phrase was chosen, then put through an online translation to give a rough idea of what it would look like in Chinese. The phrase was a famous quote attributed to Temujin, known as Ghengis Khan regarding what he felt to be best in life.

One day in the pavilion at Karakorum he [Genghis Kahn] asked an officer of the Mongol guard what, in all the world, could bring the greatest happiness.

"The open steppe, a clear day, and a swift horse under you," responded the officer after a little thought, "and a falcon on your wrist to start up hares."

"Nay," responded the Kahn, "“The greatest happiness is to scatter your enemy, to drive him before you, to see his cities reduced to ashes, to see those who love him shrouded in tears, and to gather into your bosom his wives and daughters.”

Source: Harlod Lamb in the biography, Genghis Khan: Emperor of all Men (1927)

Or, to put it in the more common phrasing:

“To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.”

Source: Conan the Barbarian, film (1982)

The script was also traced from the paper onto the leather, then burned with a wood burning tool to make it stand out against the leather.

This is the one I made. I realized later the writing may be on a slant...

The design at the top of the paiza is styled after a lion in the Indian fashion of the time. This was also traced from paper onto the leather then the lines were cut using a swivel knife and the area around the lion was stamped down to raise the desired portion and give it more definition.

The chain it is attached to is a copper chain using a 'box weave' pattern, similar to the decorative Byzantine style. The chain is bound at the back of the neck with an S-hook. The design, alas, does not have documentation but provides the weighty leather passport with something to support it as either a decoration on the wall or around the wearer's neck. The copper colour works well with the natural colour of the leather, and does not conflict with SCA sumptuary laws by appearing to be too gold (even though it is 'adorned' with the Paiza, it was felt to be better safe than sorry!)

The viking does good work...

So why did I do all this, you ask? Well it was a gift for our Baron Ming when he stepped down. Me and Aelfgar were sitting around playing Uncharted II: Among Thieves and one of the bonus treasure items was a Mongolian Passport. We got this crazy idea in our head that Ming, as our awesome Mongolian Baron, needed to own one. Since neither of us knew how to cast bronze or engrave in silver, we settled on leather and copper chain. The end result was very well received by His Excellency, as it was a cross between something period and something Flava-Flav. Pictures of him wearing it to follow!

Special thanks to Sir Ogedei Bahadur for his consultation on this project. One day I'll do it in bronze, I promise!