Eastern Iran or Central Asia
Bowl with Calligraphic Design
INV-2177
Eastern Iran or Central AsiaSamanid dynasty (819-1005), 10th century
Bowl with Calligraphic Design
Eastern Iran or Central Asia →Islamic (culture or style)samanidbowlcalligraphy
Date
Samanid dynasty (819-1005), 10th century
Medium
Earthenware, white slip with black slip decoration under a transparent glaze
Dimensions
9 × 26.1 cm (3 3/8 × 10 1/4 in.); Diam.: 26.1 cm (10 1/4 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of Harvey and Beth Plotnick
In the 10th and 11th centuries, a tradition of painting ceramics in thick colored slips (watered-down clay) became common practice in central and eastern Iran. These vessels were typically decorated with simple calligraphic lines, often containing blessings or pious insights, not unlike fortune cookie messages. Here the text reads, "[Generosity] is a disposition of the dwellers of Paradise... regret." This type of script is known as knotted Kufic, distinctive for its consistent baseline and embellished by small knots and twists in the staffs of the letters.
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