Publication Date
5th/11th century
Publication Place
-
Museum of Islamic Art
Subject
Glass, decoration, engraving and polishing.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع: 10.5 سم؛ القطر: 8 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
I. 580
Record ID
object;ISL;de;Mus01;10;ar
Library Location
Museum of Islamic Art
Date
5th/11th century
Notes
A spherical bottle with a thick top, made of yellow-gray glass and has a small opening for pouring. The deep, polished decoration covers the entire body of the bottle. This decoration consists of a main frieze in which medallions bearing images of a peacock alternate with others bearing floral decoration. There are other, less wide friezes that decorate the entire body of the bottle. The stopper intended to close the opening of the small, short bottle appears to have been lost. The elaborate decoration on this bottle, the style of decoration, and the peacock motifs, are very reminiscent of the precious quartz vessels that were made in Egypt during the Fatimid era, and which reached Europe after the distribution of the Fatimid treasures. Therefore, it is possible that this spherical bottle was made in a factory in Egypt by workers experienced in quartz work and decoration. The quality of this bottle indicates that the person requesting its manufacture must be one of the owners of the country. Its shape is similar to spherical ceramic vessels known as “sphero-conical” vessels. Nothing is known about the original use of this bottle, but it is most likely that it was used to store something valuable.
Sample Text
Jens Kröger “Spherical Bottle” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;de;Mus01;10;ar
