Bottle-Jug
1180-1220 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This small bottle is made from fritware (also called stone paste and quartz paste), an artificial ceramic body developed by Middle Eastern potters around the middle of the 11th century to imitate the hard, bright white body of imported Chinese porcelains. The main ingredient in fritware was fine quartz powder made by grinding sand or pebbles. Small quantities of white clay and a glassy substance known as frit were added – the clay to give plasticity, the frit to bind the body after firing.
In the 12th and early 13th centuries, fritware was used in Kashan and other pottery centres in Iran to produce fine wares decorated in an astonishing range of styles. Since fritware holds a shape well, this allowed the potters to copy the complex shapes of metalwork vessels, as in the case of this bottle, which was probably used for pouring drinking liquids.
The decoration of this jug is painted in lustre, an overglaze technique using metallic pigments derived from silver and copper, first invented in Iraq in the early 9th century. It shows a row of seated figures who alternate with small cypress trees decorated with chequerboard designs. This motif and the general style of painting has been called the 'miniature style', as it is thought to have its origins in miniature paintings on paper.
This vessel was part of a hoard that was deliberately buried by its owner, probably a merchant who lived in Jurjan in north-east Iran, or who was passing through the city. In 1220, Jurjan was threatened by a Mongol invasion. The merchant packed the vessels in sand inside large storage jars and buried them for safekeeping. Soon afterwards, Jurjan was completely destroyed by the Mongols, and the owner never returned to recover the hoard.
As a result, the vessels in this hoard survived together for almost 800 years, and in relatively good condition. The probable date of their burial also gives us a good indication of when the vessels in the hoard were made, as well as showing the wide variety of types of decoration that were used to make Iranian pottery at this time.
In the 12th and early 13th centuries, fritware was used in Kashan and other pottery centres in Iran to produce fine wares decorated in an astonishing range of styles. Since fritware holds a shape well, this allowed the potters to copy the complex shapes of metalwork vessels, as in the case of this bottle, which was probably used for pouring drinking liquids.
The decoration of this jug is painted in lustre, an overglaze technique using metallic pigments derived from silver and copper, first invented in Iraq in the early 9th century. It shows a row of seated figures who alternate with small cypress trees decorated with chequerboard designs. This motif and the general style of painting has been called the 'miniature style', as it is thought to have its origins in miniature paintings on paper.
This vessel was part of a hoard that was deliberately buried by its owner, probably a merchant who lived in Jurjan in north-east Iran, or who was passing through the city. In 1220, Jurjan was threatened by a Mongol invasion. The merchant packed the vessels in sand inside large storage jars and buried them for safekeeping. Soon afterwards, Jurjan was completely destroyed by the Mongols, and the owner never returned to recover the hoard.
As a result, the vessels in this hoard survived together for almost 800 years, and in relatively good condition. The probable date of their burial also gives us a good indication of when the vessels in the hoard were made, as well as showing the wide variety of types of decoration that were used to make Iranian pottery at this time.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | fritware with lustre decoration |
| Brief description | Ceramic; Fritware bottle decorated with lustre over a transparent glaze. The decoration is in the so-called 'miniature style', and shows a row of seated figures alternating with small cypress trees decorated with chequerboard designs. Found at Jurjan. Iran, probably Kashan, before 1220. |
| Physical description | Fritware bottle decorated with lustre over a transparent glaze. The decoration is in the so-called 'miniature style', and shows a row of seated figures alternating with small cypress trees decorated with chequerboard designs. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Gallery label |
|
| Credit line | Given by Mr C.N. Ades, MBE, in memory of his wife, Andrée Ades |
| Object history | This vessel was part of a hoard that was deliberately buried by its owner, probably a merchant who lived in Jurjan in north-east Iran, or who was passing through the city. In 1220, Jurjan was threatened by a Mongol invasion. The merchant packed the vessels in sand inside large storage jars and buried them for safekeeping. Soon afterwards, Jurjan was completely destroyed by the Mongols, and the owner never returned to recover the hoard.As a result, the vessels in this hoard survived together for almost 800 years, and in relatively good condition.The probable date of their burial also gives us a good indication of when the vessels in the hoard were made, as well as showing the wide variety of types of decoration that were used to make Iranian pottery at this time. Clement Ades gave a large number of objects found in the Jurjan hoard to the Victoria and Albert Museum at different times. Their object numbers are C.152 to 171-1977, and C.35 to 49-1978. |
| Production | Probably Kashan |
| Summary | This small bottle is made from fritware (also called stone paste and quartz paste), an artificial ceramic body developed by Middle Eastern potters around the middle of the 11th century to imitate the hard, bright white body of imported Chinese porcelains. The main ingredient in fritware was fine quartz powder made by grinding sand or pebbles. Small quantities of white clay and a glassy substance known as frit were added – the clay to give plasticity, the frit to bind the body after firing. In the 12th and early 13th centuries, fritware was used in Kashan and other pottery centres in Iran to produce fine wares decorated in an astonishing range of styles. Since fritware holds a shape well, this allowed the potters to copy the complex shapes of metalwork vessels, as in the case of this bottle, which was probably used for pouring drinking liquids. The decoration of this jug is painted in lustre, an overglaze technique using metallic pigments derived from silver and copper, first invented in Iraq in the early 9th century. It shows a row of seated figures who alternate with small cypress trees decorated with chequerboard designs. This motif and the general style of painting has been called the 'miniature style', as it is thought to have its origins in miniature paintings on paper. This vessel was part of a hoard that was deliberately buried by its owner, probably a merchant who lived in Jurjan in north-east Iran, or who was passing through the city. In 1220, Jurjan was threatened by a Mongol invasion. The merchant packed the vessels in sand inside large storage jars and buried them for safekeeping. Soon afterwards, Jurjan was completely destroyed by the Mongols, and the owner never returned to recover the hoard. As a result, the vessels in this hoard survived together for almost 800 years, and in relatively good condition. The probable date of their burial also gives us a good indication of when the vessels in the hoard were made, as well as showing the wide variety of types of decoration that were used to make Iranian pottery at this time. |
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.167-1977 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | November 19, 2003 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
