Name of Object:

Bowl

Location:

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Holding Museum:

National Museums of Scotland (NMS)

About National Museums of Scotland (NMS), Edinburgh

Date of Object:

Hegira late 9th–early 10th century / AD late 15th century

Museum Inventory Number:

A. 1885.194

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Hammered and incised sheet-brass with remnants of silver inlay that is possibly a later addition.

Dimensions:

Height 6.35 cm, diameter 13.97 cm

Period / Dynasty:

Mamluk

Provenance:

Damascus, Syria.

Description:

A small circular brass bowl that is incised with bands of vegetal, geometric and epigraphic bands and detailing. A narrow band of scrolling runs below the rim, while the main body is enhanced by three superposed decorative bands, the upper and lower ones of which are narrow and contain densely plaited, geometric interlaced patterning. The area in between consists of an alternating succession of four elaborate elongated cartouches and four roundels. The cartouches display symmetrically disposed split-palmette extensions on either side, together with small triangular panels containing an interlaced scroll design, both of which extend into the geometric interlace bands above and below them. The cartouches are filled with alternating, diagonally disposed, and densely set split-palmettes and inscriptions in naskhi script. The inscriptions read: ‘mima ‘amala bi rasm al-‘abd al-faqir al-raji ‘afwa rabihi al-qadir al-mubarak ‘abd al-muqarr al-karim al-’ali al-mawlawi al-amir khanzidar Sayf al-Din Barquq’ (This is one of the objects made for the poor servant, desirous of the forgiveness of his powerful lord, Mubarak, the servant of his high noble excellency, the high, the lordly, the Amir Khanzidar [senior storekeeper] al-Sayf Barquq.’). The roundels, with small trefoil extensions that pierce the geometric interlace bands above and below them, contain a pattern of alternating fretwork and composite blazons surrounded by a scrolling border. The blazon comprising three superposed horizontal panels. The upper panel contains a lozenge, symbolising a napkin; the centre panel, a cup with inscribed pen-case flanked by powder horns; and in the lower area is another cup. This particular type of composite blazon was used by Sultan Qaytbay as well as his officials and two of his successors. This little bowl may have formed part of a multi-storey food container, which kept different foods in separate compartments and – as a precaution against poisoning – could be locked.

Brassware with incised blazons and thuluth inscriptions giving the patron’s official titles is typical of the later Mamluk period. This little basin may have belonged to a multi-storey food box, which kept different foods in separate compartments and – as a precaution against poison – could be locked.

How date and origin were established:

Ward (1993) suggests that this item is closely related stylistically to the three stacked containers which form part of an engraved, and originally tinned, brass lunch box in the British Museum attributed Mamluk Damascus. According to Atil (1981) the particular type of blazon seen on this bowl is associated with Sultan Qaytbay, his officials and two of his successors, a fact that suggests a date of the late 9th–early 10th century / late 15th century.

How Object was obtained:

Purchased by NMS from a sale of items belonging to Lady Mary Hamilton Campbell Ruthven after her death in 1885.

How provenance was established:

This item is related stylistically to three stacked containers which form part of an engraved and originally tinned brass lunch box in the British Museum, attributed to Mamluk Damascus.

Selected bibliography:

Atil, E., Renaissance of Islam: Art of the Mamluks, Washington D.C., 1981, pp.240–1, cat. no. 124.
Ward R., Islamic Metalwork, London, 1993, pp.118–9, fig. 95.

Citation of this web page:

Ulrike Al-Khamis "Bowl" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;uk;Mus03;20;en

Prepared by: Ulrike Al-KhamisUlrike Al-Khamis

Ulrike Al-Khamis is Principal Curator for the Middle East and South Asia at the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh. She began her academic career in Germany before completing her BA (1st class Hons) in Islamic Art and Archaeology at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London in 1987. The same year she moved to Edinburgh, where she completed her Ph.D. thesis on “Early Islamic Bronze and Brass Ewers from the 7th to the 13th Century AD” in 1994. From 1994 to 1999 she worked as Curator of Muslim Art and Culture for Glasgow Museums and, in 1997, was one of the main instigators of the first ever Scottish Festival of Muslim Culture, SALAAM. Since 1999 she has been based at the Royal Museum in Edinburgh, where she has curated several exhibitions and continues to publish aspects of the collections. In addition to her museum work she has contributed regularly to the teaching of the Fine Arts Department at the University of Edinburgh.
Copyedited by: Mandi GomezMandi Gomez

Amanda Gomez is a freelance copy-editor and proofreader working in London. She studied Art History and Literature at Essex University (1986–89) and received her MA (Area Studies Africa: Art, Literature, African Thought) from SOAS in 1990. She worked as an editorial assistant for the independent publisher Bellew Publishing (1991–94) and studied at Bookhouse and the London College of Printing on day release. She was publications officer at the Museum of London until 2000 and then took a role at Art Books International, where she worked on projects for independent publishers and arts institutions that included MWNF’s English-language editions of the books series Islamic Art in the Mediterranean. She was part of the editorial team for further MWNF iterations: Discover Islamic Art in the Mediterranean Virtual Museum and the illustrated volume Discover Islamic Art in the Mediterranean.

True to its ethos of connecting people through the arts, MWNF has provided Amanda with valuable opportunities for discovery and learning, increased her editorial experience, and connected her with publishers and institutions all over the world. More recently, the projects she has worked on include MWNF’s Sharing History Virtual Museum and Exhibition series, Vitra Design Museum’s Victor Papanek and Objects of Desire, and Haus der Kulturen der Welt’s online publication 2 or 3 Tigers and its volume Race, Nation, Class.

MWNF Working Number: UK3 20