Baghdad in British Occupation - Star and Crescent Overprint on Geometric Pattern

The theme of this program focuses on the religious and political identity of the late Ottoman period, featuring a dense geometric arabesque pattern that celebrates the rich heritage of Islamic art and craftsmanship. The central symbolism of the star and crescent, coupled with the imperial tughra, reinforces the Caliphate's spiritual and temporal leadership over the region. The subsequent British occupation overprint, which includes a large black star and crescent, creates a complex layer of meaning; it is a visual collision between traditional Eastern iconography and the pragmatic reality of Western military rule. For Iraq, this stamp represents a period of identity in flux, where the symbols of the old world remained as the foundation for a new, temporary institutional identity imposed by the occupying forces during the final years of the Great War.