Name of Object:

Jar

Location:

Palermo, Italy

Holding Museum:

Zisa Museum

About Zisa Museum, Palermo

Current Owner:

Sopraintendenza Beni Culturali e Ambientali, Palermo

Date of Object:

12th century

Museum Inventory Number:

القائمة رقم 142

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Terra cotta with engobe (slip).

Dimensions:

Height 49 cm, diameter 34 cm

Period / Dynasty:

Norman

Provenance:

Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, known as Martorana.

Description:

This two-handled globular jar with a long, narrow neck is marked along its body with numerous parallel furrows, made when it was turned, which come together towards the top. There are button-shaped grips on the top of the handles (one missing). It is decorated in white on a dark engobe (slip) with horizontal lines alternating with pseudo-epigraphic motifs in kufic characters.
The jar was found, together with other pieces, by the archaeologist Antonio Salinas in the space between the intrados of a vault and the floor of a room of the monastery attached to the Martorana Church built around 1193. The crack in the lower part of the amphora, caused by a firing defect, indicates that the piece, a kiln reject no longer usable as a container, was used to fill vaults in the large residences in the first half of the 12th century.

This jar was intended as a container for foodstuffs, but was actually used as a building material to fill a vault because it had a firing defect that made it unsuitable for use as a container.

How date and origin were established:

The fact that the amphora was found in the vaults of the monastery of Martorana Church (built around 1193) suggests that it dates from the 12th century.

How Object was obtained:

Found.

How provenance was established:

As a kiln reject, the jar must have been produced locally.

Selected bibliography:

D’Angelo F., “Ceramica d’Uso Domestico della Sicilia Medievale Proveniente dalla Zisa (Palermo XII Secolo)”, Atti del IX Convegno Internazionale della Ceramica, Albisola 28–31 May 1976, fig. 10.
Gabrieli F. and Scerrato U., Gli Arabi in Italia, Milan, 1979, p.170, fig. 187.
Ragona A., “La Ceramica della Sicilia Arabo-Normanna”, Rassegna della Istruzione Artistica I, no. 2, 1966.
Ragona A., La Maiolica Siciliana dalle Origini all’ Ottocento, Palermo, 1975, fig. 4.
Russo Perez G., “Ancora delle Ceramiche Siculo-Normanne”, L’Arte 3, 1940, pp.119–27, fig. 9.

Citation of this web page:

Maria Reginella "Jar" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;it;Mus01_C;42;en

Prepared by: Maria ReginellaMaria Reginella

Maria Reginella, laureata in Lettere Moderne, specialista in Storia dell'Arte, lavora come storico dell'arte presso la Soprintendenza di Palermo. Ha pubblicato numerosi studi sulla produzione ceramica siciliana, tra cui si segnala: Camminando sul passato, Edizione Pantaleo, 1996; La collezione di maioliche dell'Istituto Statale d'Arte di Palermo. 2001; Maduni Pinti. Pavimenti e rivestimenti maiolicati in Sicilia. Edizione Sanfilippo, 2003.
Copyedited by: Pier Paolo RacioppiPier Paolo Racioppi

Laureato e specializzato in storia dell'arte presso l'Università di Roma “La Sapienza” sta conseguendo il dottorato di ricerca in Storia e conservazione dell'oggetto d'arte e d'architettura presso l'Università di Roma TRE. Ha svolto attività seminariali presso l'Istituto di Storia dell'Arte all'Università La Sapienza di Roma e attualmente è docente di storia dell'arte del Rinascimento presso la IES at Luiss (Roma).
Ha pubblicato diversi contributi sulla tutela artistica, il collezionismo e le accademie d'arte, ed ha collaborato al Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani dell'Enciclopedia Treccani.
Translation by: Laurence Nunny
Translation copyedited by: Monica Allen

MWNF Working Number: IT 60