Dish
Dish
1180 - 1220 (made)
1180 - 1220 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Flat base, low, slanting sides slightly waisted half-way up, and a flat everted rim. Previously a tripod stand, as shown by the marks left by three soldered legs, now missing.
On the rim, six cartouches with double fillets, enclose sections of the epigraphic frieze. These are widely spaced and interspersed by six small roundels, enclosing bifurcating stalks. On the underside, four concentric double fillets have been engraved, one with a sketchy foliate scroll. At the centre is a roundel with a bifurcating stalk - possibly re-engraved at a leter time. On the outer wall are six epigraphic horizontal cartouches with incurving sides and roundels enclosing palmettes. The inner surface has a roundel framed by a broad moulded groove, encloses four hares walking clockwise. Their long ears are depicted so that in each pair the ear of one is also to be seen as the ear of the next hare. Foliate scrolls form the ground.
On the rim, six cartouches with double fillets, enclose sections of the epigraphic frieze. These are widely spaced and interspersed by six small roundels, enclosing bifurcating stalks. On the underside, four concentric double fillets have been engraved, one with a sketchy foliate scroll. At the centre is a roundel with a bifurcating stalk - possibly re-engraved at a leter time. On the outer wall are six epigraphic horizontal cartouches with incurving sides and roundels enclosing palmettes. The inner surface has a roundel framed by a broad moulded groove, encloses four hares walking clockwise. Their long ears are depicted so that in each pair the ear of one is also to be seen as the ear of the next hare. Foliate scrolls form the ground.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Title | Dish |
Materials and techniques | Cast and turned brass with engraved decoration. Patina: extensive patches of red oxide on the underside indicating the piece was excavated. Otherwise olive patina veering to spotty dark brown. Some traces of black composition possibly added later. Traces of lead soldering, showing legs to have been added and subsequently knocked off. |
Brief description | Dish, cast brass, with engraved decoration of interlocking hares, possibly Khurasan, Iran, 1180-1220 |
Physical description | Flat base, low, slanting sides slightly waisted half-way up, and a flat everted rim. Previously a tripod stand, as shown by the marks left by three soldered legs, now missing. On the rim, six cartouches with double fillets, enclose sections of the epigraphic frieze. These are widely spaced and interspersed by six small roundels, enclosing bifurcating stalks. On the underside, four concentric double fillets have been engraved, one with a sketchy foliate scroll. At the centre is a roundel with a bifurcating stalk - possibly re-engraved at a leter time. On the outer wall are six epigraphic horizontal cartouches with incurving sides and roundels enclosing palmettes. The inner surface has a roundel framed by a broad moulded groove, encloses four hares walking clockwise. Their long ears are depicted so that in each pair the ear of one is also to be seen as the ear of the next hare. Foliate scrolls form the ground. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions |
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Object history | Purchased for 6s as part of the Jules Richard collection, November 1889. Inter-departmental transfer to MES, RF 2011/1170. |
Historical context | The decoration is typical of Khorasan in layout and detail, as may be seen from comparison with the Ghanzi Museum piece and with a closely related specimen acquired by D'Allemagne in Khorasan. D'Allemagne, H.R. Du Khorassan au Pays des Backhitaris, op.cit., II, reproduced p.71, bottom right. Note the closely resembling round of four hares walking clockwise. |
Subject depicted | |
Bibliographic reference | Melikian-Chirvani, A.S. Islamic Metalwork from the Iranian World London:HMSO, 1982, p106-107, ISBN 0 11 290252 9 |
Collection | |
Accession number | 768-1889 |
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Record created | March 18, 2003 |
Record URL |
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