Seljuk Bronze Ewer Inlaid with Silver, 11th Century CE - 12th Century CE
Bronze
4.5 x 8.9
JB.1025
Pear-shaped body, splayed foot decorated by inscription and four medallions containing aquatic birds; short neck terminating in an elaborate oil-lamp shaped spout, handle with floral finial. This ewer is richly...
Pear-shaped body, splayed foot decorated by inscription and four medallions containing aquatic birds; short neck terminating in an elaborate oil-lamp shaped spout, handle with floral finial. This ewer is richly decorated by a series of zones inlaid with silver.
On the frontal part and placed in a prominent position, semi-circular niche comparable in shape to a Mihrab, encompassing the anthropomorphic figure of a four-legged winged creature, possibly Al-Buraq among vegetation.
The upper part of the body has two decorative registers: on the lower, inscription interrupted by three medallions each containing a bird. On the upper, four rabbits and a fox in movement.
On the neck, three registers of decoration, two with benedictory inscriptions, in the middle one two heraldic greyhounds in movement facing each other among vegetation.
On the lamp of the neck, two heraldic greyhounds depicted in movement in profile to the left.
In the Qu’ran all creatures are believed to praise God, even if this praise is not expressed in human voice, thus believers are admonished to treat animals gently and with compassion, in fact the word “Muslim” does not exclusively apply to humans but also to animals and the inanimate world.
Early Islamic literature portrays dogs as symbols of highly esteemed virtues such as self-sacrifice and loyalty while birds are commonly revered, and often used as a metaphor for the soul’s divine journey to God. Additionally trained hunting dogs are described in the Qu’ran in a positive light and the companionship of these dogs is met with great approval.
Between the end of the 10th and 12th century new forms appear to have been introduced from the Eastern Islamic world, which include this characteristic type of ewer with an oil-lamp like spout. Signed specimens of this typology have been discovered by Russian scholars in Fergana (Eastern Uzbekistan) and Usrushana (district in Transoxiana, to the north-east of Samarqand) dating to the middle of the 11th century.
While these early examples were either plain or very little decorated, later 12th to early 13th century ewers from Khurasan were inlaid with silver and copper, attesting to the new artistic trends of the time.
On the frontal part and placed in a prominent position, semi-circular niche comparable in shape to a Mihrab, encompassing the anthropomorphic figure of a four-legged winged creature, possibly Al-Buraq among vegetation.
The upper part of the body has two decorative registers: on the lower, inscription interrupted by three medallions each containing a bird. On the upper, four rabbits and a fox in movement.
On the neck, three registers of decoration, two with benedictory inscriptions, in the middle one two heraldic greyhounds in movement facing each other among vegetation.
On the lamp of the neck, two heraldic greyhounds depicted in movement in profile to the left.
In the Qu’ran all creatures are believed to praise God, even if this praise is not expressed in human voice, thus believers are admonished to treat animals gently and with compassion, in fact the word “Muslim” does not exclusively apply to humans but also to animals and the inanimate world.
Early Islamic literature portrays dogs as symbols of highly esteemed virtues such as self-sacrifice and loyalty while birds are commonly revered, and often used as a metaphor for the soul’s divine journey to God. Additionally trained hunting dogs are described in the Qu’ran in a positive light and the companionship of these dogs is met with great approval.
Between the end of the 10th and 12th century new forms appear to have been introduced from the Eastern Islamic world, which include this characteristic type of ewer with an oil-lamp like spout. Signed specimens of this typology have been discovered by Russian scholars in Fergana (Eastern Uzbekistan) and Usrushana (district in Transoxiana, to the north-east of Samarqand) dating to the middle of the 11th century.
While these early examples were either plain or very little decorated, later 12th to early 13th century ewers from Khurasan were inlaid with silver and copper, attesting to the new artistic trends of the time.