Mortar (havan)
Mortar
12th century (made)
12th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Cylindrical body, with three ribbed mouldings at regular intervals, rests on a broad, nearly flat base which rises at a very slight angle up to a raised band. The flat, everted rim is almost the same diameter as the base.
The base is decorated with six engraved roundels each enclosing trilobed buds. On the body each section framed by the mouldings features eight roundels. Each roundel consists of a copper-inlaid moon crescent, the horns joining together to form a circle. within each circle is a triangular motif with incurving sides.
On the rim four elongated 'coffin-shaped' hexagons moulded in low relief divide the rim into four. In each, enclosed by double fillets, are sections of an engraved epigraphic frieze, within horizontal cartocuches with incurving sides, on a ground of foliate scrolls.
Patina: purplish brown resulting from oxidation
The base is decorated with six engraved roundels each enclosing trilobed buds. On the body each section framed by the mouldings features eight roundels. Each roundel consists of a copper-inlaid moon crescent, the horns joining together to form a circle. within each circle is a triangular motif with incurving sides.
On the rim four elongated 'coffin-shaped' hexagons moulded in low relief divide the rim into four. In each, enclosed by double fillets, are sections of an engraved epigraphic frieze, within horizontal cartocuches with incurving sides, on a ground of foliate scrolls.
Patina: purplish brown resulting from oxidation
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Mortar (havan) (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Bronze cast in one, engraved with champlevé designs and partly inlaid with copper |
| Brief description | Bronze, with engraved champlevé designs partly inlaid with copper. |
| Physical description | Cylindrical body, with three ribbed mouldings at regular intervals, rests on a broad, nearly flat base which rises at a very slight angle up to a raised band. The flat, everted rim is almost the same diameter as the base. The base is decorated with six engraved roundels each enclosing trilobed buds. On the body each section framed by the mouldings features eight roundels. Each roundel consists of a copper-inlaid moon crescent, the horns joining together to form a circle. within each circle is a triangular motif with incurving sides. On the rim four elongated 'coffin-shaped' hexagons moulded in low relief divide the rim into four. In each, enclosed by double fillets, are sections of an engraved epigraphic frieze, within horizontal cartocuches with incurving sides, on a ground of foliate scrolls. Patina: purplish brown resulting from oxidation |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | (Persian; thuluth; rim; engraved)
|
| Gallery label | bronze, cast, engraved & inlaid with copper, Iran (Khorasan), 12th c.
The inscription in Khorasanian thuluth script calls God's blessings upon the unnamed owner.
A similar mortar is in the Muzim-i Rawza at Ghazni in Afghanistan.(Used until 09/2002) |
| Object history | Purchased for £2 15d from Mr Sidney Churchill, Tehran, 12 October 1886 Historical significance: A similar piece is preserved in the Muzim-i Melli at Kabul in Afghanistan. A related piece, much more crudely decorated, is in the Louvres reserves. |
| Bibliographic reference | Melikian-Chirvani, A.S. Islamic Metalwork from the Iranian World, London:HMSO, 1982, p.109-110, ISBN 0 11 290252 9 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 948-1886 |
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| Record created | May 30, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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