Large bronze basin with concave body, flat thickened rim that projects outwards and flat base. The exterior richly engraved with bands of calligraphic script and animals scenes, the base incised with the elegant depiction of a buraq.The artist has decorated the flatted rim with a quilloche and a Kufic inscription while dividing the remaining outter surface into six decorative bands. The upper band comprises a row of hares and does in rapid movement hunted by felines, followed by an inscription band repeating benedictory phrases; then a much narrower band with an undulating scroll, succeeded by a band with does standing on their hinder legs in heraldic pose. The last two registers contain a series of highly stylised floral decorative motifs.When the Archangel Gabriel (Jibrail) descended from Heaven appearing to Muhammad, he addressed him saying: “Oh Prophet of Allah, I have brought you this Buraq from the Gardens of Paradise, mount it now for the Lord awaits your coming”. “I turned, narrates Muhammad, and saw the Buraq which was as bright as the sun and as swift as a flash of lightning”.The legendary creature under the base is beautifully engraved, in three-quarters to the left, as about to take a leap into Heavens. Large wing decorated by flame-shaped details, the humanoid face depicted frontal, with almond-shaped eyes and delicate mouth. Comparable depictions of the Buraq are also known from numerous other such engraved meta vessels, dating to the Seljuq period.The quality of engraving and the patterns featuring on this basin would seem to indicate a 12th-13th century date and a Transoxiana provenance. - (LO.864)