Bowl with Revolving Scrolls

Unknown

late 12th century · Stonepaste; molded, pierced, incised, painted, and glazed · Islamic Art

This vessel was likely molded, then pierced with tiny holes, incised with a sequence of revolving scrolls and a plaited band, then painted and glazed. By covering the holes, the glaze creates a light-through effect. While the shape and the technique speak of a shared aesthetic with Iranian ceramics of the same period, this vessel represents a distinct development attested in 12th-century Afghanistan. The bowl came to the Museum only in 1998 as a gift from the Mansour Gallery. It allegedly came from Bamiyan in present-day Afghanistan which has important archaeological sites dating back to the 4th–9th centuries when the town was a key Buddhist site up to the 12th century.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 12th century

Medium

Stonepaste; molded, pierced, incised, painted, and glazed

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Gift of the Mansour Gallery, 1998