Ancient Near East / Western Asia, Persia (Iran), Nishapur or Kashan, ca. late 10th century to early 13th century CE. An incredible mold-made ceramic pitcher presenting an extensive decorative program and religious inscription that are covered with a thick, turquoise glaze. The glaze covers all but the lower end of the body and the raised concave foot. The overall form of the body is piriform with a corseted neck and a slightly flared mouth with unpronounced rim. A conjoined, double coil handle with a black fretted pattern joins the rim to the lower body. The decorative relief program is comprised of a lower register of abstract facades featuring gables over arches, a wide central register with an inscription that translates, "Mohammed is the only god," according to the collector, and an upper register of interwoven loops. Size: 5.5" W handle span x 7.25" H (14 cm x 18.4 cm)

Nishapur was a center of politics and culture in medieval Persia, and their pottery is some of the most unique and beautiful we see from this time period. Turquoise pieces like this example are the result of technological innovation at the end of the 10th century. The body of this vessel was made of finely ground quartz mixed with clay; this created a white surface upon which the artists could pour colorful glaze and sometimes paint additional designs. The glaze is alkaline, with a copper base to give it its stunning color, and would be poured over the clay. Manganese creates the black accents visible in some areas of the surface. Scholars believe that such Nishapur pieces may have been inspired by the blue and white glazed pottery that travelled the Silk Road from Tang Dynasty China; however, the end result was clearly not just an imitation, but rather an entirely different, radical style that developed in Nishapur.

This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full report will accompany purchase.

Provenance: private California, USA collection, by descent, moved from Germany in 1997, originally collected in the 1970s in Hamburg, Germany

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#145545

Chip to rim as shown. Stable fissure at arch of handle. Otherwise intact with a few tiny abrasions on the rim and handle. Light deposits on surface with excellent craquelure to the glaze. Tiny drill hole on underside of foot for TL test.