Unknown, Jug
Unknown (likely Iran), Early 13th century
Glazed clay
This off-white jug is split into three sections mainly painted in brown, save the garments of the people and a few other minor areas. The bottom section (around 20%) is a design of arabesque mesh with hatched lozenges. The middle section (around 60%) features images of people sitting and interacting, with moon-shaped faces and halos. Their garments are blue and/or turquoise with designs of leaf motifs or scrolls, some with thick solid lines. The space is filled with scrolls and motifs of leaves and birds. The upper section has two Kufic inscriptions, the lower one more freely done, and the upper one, right at the stem of the jug, done in a more uniform manner against a blue base. The handle is hard to see but has an arabesque design done in turquoise, and the stem has a Kufic inscription and blue coloring on its edges.
The middle section is characteristic of the Kashan style based on the background space being filled with scroll and foliate designs, and the bird and leaf motifs also distinctive of the Kashan style. However, the arabesque mesh with hatched lozenges is indicative of the Rayy style since the design appears in a piece that was found and made in the city of Rayy (of which there are only a few pieces) and does not appear in any other style. The two Kufic inscriptions are characteristic of each style. The lower one is more free hand and stylishly done, with space between the edges of the band and the inscription, characteristic of the Kashan style. The upper one is blocky and even, with the band edges closer, and contains blue, all characteristic of Rayy style Kufic inscriptions.
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