Name of Object:

Grenades

Location:

Ajlun, Jordan

Holding Museum:

Ajlun Archaeological Museum

Date of Object:

Hegira 6th century / post-AD 1184

Museum Inventory Number:

AJ. 1-8

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Wheel-thrown ceramic.

Dimensions:

Height 12 cm, width 14.7 cm, circumference 29.5 cm

Period / Dynasty:

Ayyubid

Provenance:

Unknown, probably Syria.

Description:

A cone shaped vessel with a pointed base and a small opening, 3 cm in diameter. Made of thick black or gray burnished pottery ware, the vessels are decorated with almond-shaped designs in relief which are arranged into nine segments and divided by straight lines, starting at the neck and ending at the pointed base.

Scholars differ in opinion as to the function and use of these vessels. Some think they were used as containers for perfume or other precious liquids, while others believe they were filled with naphtha and used as grenades.

View Short Description

Cone-shaped vessels from Ajlun Castle made of thick grey or black pottery. Their function and use are not certain; some scholars think they were containers for perfume or precious liquids, while others believe they were filled with naphtha and used as grenades.

How date and origin were established:

The vessels are dated by stylistic analysis and by the fact that they were found as part of the archaeology of a dated building.

How Object was obtained:

The vessels were collected during an archaeological excavation carried out in the Castle of Ajlun.

How provenance was established:

The provenance is unknown but the grenades were probably produced in Syria.

Selected bibliography:

العش، محمد، "الفخار غير المطلي" الحوليات الأثرية السورية، المجلد العاشر، 1960، ص 135-189.

ساري.صالح، الفخار الأيوبي و المملوكي في بلاد الشام 567-923 ه/1171 – 1517م، رسالة ماجستير، الجامعة الأردنية، 1979، ص 131، شكل 47.

Pentz, P., 'Medieval Workshop for Producing Greek Fire Grenades', Antiquity Vol. 62, cat. no. 234, 1988, pp.89–93.

Seyrig, T., 'Flacons? Grenades? Colipiles?', Syria, tome XXXXI, 1959, pp.81–9.

Citation of this web page:

Aida Naghawy "Grenades" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;jo;Mus01_B;29;en

Prepared by: Aida Naghawy
Copyedited by: Mandi Gomez


MWNF Working Number: JO 58