Fragment of velvet with design of tiger-stripes and three balls. Jameel Gallery Animal Pelt Designs Pairs of wavy lines and groups of three large dots represent the pelts of the striped tiger and spotted leopard. In the Islamic world, the designs acquired powerful associations. The Iranian hero Rustam, for example, is usually depicted wearing a tiger-skin coat. By 1500, these designs were popular on Ottoman Turkish textiles, and were often combined. They soon appeared in other media, such as tilework. The triple-dot design has been confused with the Buddhist ‘precious jewel’ motif (Sanskrit cintamani), which is sometimes shown in groups of three. But there is no connection. 3 Velvet Fragment Turkey, probably Bursa 1450–1550 Silk velvet Museum no. 356-1897 [Jameel Gallery] Fragment of velvet with ball-and-stripe motifs, Turkey (probably Bursa), 1450-1550. The pattern on this fragment of velvet has several associations. The pairs of wavy lines and groups of three large dots represent the pelts of the striped tiger and spotted leopard. In the Islamic world, these designs acquired powerful associations. The Iranian hero Rustam, for example, is usually depicted wearing a tiger-skin coat. By 1500, these designs were popular motifs on Ottoman Turkish textiles and were often combined. They soon appeared in other media, such as tilework.