Nishapur Black on Gold Pottery Bowl, ex-Christie's

**Originally Listed At $1200**

Near East, Iran/Persia, Nishapur, ca. 10th century CE. A steep-walled terracotta bowl with a beautiful, stylized Kufic (the earliest form of Arabic) script in a register around its central interior. The inscription is black, on a background of golden yellow. The Kufic is inverted, encircling a single dot in the very center of the bowl. Nishapur ware used a white slip on a terracotta body with designs painted in slips of bright colors - mixing the colors with slip prevented them from running, leading to the crisp iconography like on this example. Size: 12.75" W x 3.45" H (32.4 cm x 8.8 cm)

Kufic is the earliest form of Arabic calligraphy, used as the main script to copy the Qur'an until the 11th century. It was used on Seljuk coins and monuments as well as ceramic items like this one. The inscriptions on bowls like this one are Arabic proverbs - in fact, some of the first extant examples that appear in the Islamic world. Each inscription is read by turning the bowl counterclockwise. Some of these inscriptions are a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, and others are referencing social codes from the Samanids, who deeply valued hospitality and generosity.

Provenance: Royal Athena, New York, USA collection; ex-Christie’s, London, UK, April 1989

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#151740
Condition Report: Expertly repaired and restored with some areas of touch-up to the pigment. Nice deposits on surface.