This fine rock crystal piece must have been a container of some sort. Its complex shape can be seen as the body of a fish. Two convex faces are joined at an angle along the sides, which taper gently towards the base, or tail. However, the fish shape does not continue at the top, where the angled sides broaden out into shoulders. At the centre these form a collar around the mouth of the hollowed out interior. Another hole was later drilled into the bottom to take a mount.
The outside has elegant decoration carved in relief to stand proud of the surface. At the edges of each face there are pairs of hatched bands. Two pairs of complex volutes spring from the bands to fill much of the central field. Four palmettes hang downwards from the collar. Two lie on the shoulders and two extend into the top of each face. The remaining space is filled with abstract decoration based on two lozenges with curved sides. We know that high-quality rock crystal vessels with decoration of this type were made for the rulers of Egypt during the Fatimid period (969-1171). This piece was made between 1000 and 1050.
Physical description
This flask has a flattened and ovoidal shape, with cut-relief decoration of palmettes and parallel lines around the edges. A palmette motif divides the two fields into two symmetrical halves. On one face it is cracked from mouth to bottom on the right side. The hole through is straight, but subsequently another hole was cut through the base to provide a hole to mount the piece. The crystal is quite clear and has a type of carving and decoration like that of the ewer (cf. 7904-1862).
Place of Origin
Egypt (made)
Cairo, Egypt (probably, made)
Date
975-1050 (made)
Artist/maker
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Rock crystal, carved
Dimensions
Length: 11 cm, Width: 8.5 cm maximum, Width: 6.3 cm minimum, Width: 2.5 cm of outside of mouth, maximum, Width: 1.6 cm of inside of mouth, maximum
Object history note
Originally thought to be a Byzantine object.
Historical significance: Such high quality rock crystal objects are known to have been made for the Fatimid Caliphs of Cairo. In comparison with other such objects which are inscribed with dates or the names of particular rulers, these Fatimid rock crystal vessels can be confidently ascribed to the late 10th-early 11th centuries.
Descriptive line
Ovoidal rock crystal flask with cut-relief decoration, Egypt (probably Cairo), 975-1050.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Contadini, Anna, Fatimid Art at the Victoria & Albert Museum. London: V&A Publications, 1998. p. 37, plate 6
Labels and date
Rock Crystal Containers
Egypt, probably Cairo
975-1050
Many rock crystal objects were small containers for precious substances such as perfumes. Some are cylindrical. Others have a flattened, egg-shaped form, which would have been completed by mounts of other costly materials, now missing. The stylised plant designs were inspired by earlier work done in Iraq under the Abbasid dynasty, probably at Basra.
Carved rock crystal
Museum nos. A.45-1928; 1163-1864 [Jameel Gallery]
Materials
Rock crystal
Techniques
Carved
Subjects depicted
Scrolls; Palmettes
Categories
Containers; Islam; Africa
Collection code
MES
