Bamiyan Turquoise-Glazed Bowl with Stamped and Incised Decoration - LO.705, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1100 AD to 1200 AD, Dimensions: 3.25" (8.3cm) high x 6.5" (16.5cm) depth, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Bamiyan, Medium: Fritware. Alkaline glazed composite fritware, the cavetto carrying a moulded star-shaped motif, the straight flaring sides with split palmettes, amidst foliages. Coloured monochrome glazed ware started being applied to composite fritware only during the Seljuq period in Iran. Because of this new biscuit material, potters were also able to use more refined decorative motifs and patterns. The colour range varied tremendously, from shades of green to blue and turquoise, yellow, brown to mauve and manganese. Several were the early centres of production in Iran, including Nishapur, Kashan, Jurjian and Kirman. From such a successful production stemmed the Afghan pottery of the 12th and 13th centuries. The three unglazed chaplets on the cavetto would suggest that this type of bowls would have been fired upturned in piles. Chaplets -or spacers- were used to separate one bowl from the one above, thus avoiding they would stick during the firing process. Most of these alkaline glazed composite fritwares could be dated to the 12th century, although they kept on being produced well after the Mongol invasion of 617 AH/ AD 1220. For comparable examples see: G. Fehervari, Ceramics of the Islamic World..., 2000: pl.186-9, p.152-3.

Antiquities
Ancient Near East