Try Amazon Audible Plus


Amazon Audible Gift Memberships

Ayyubids on a Glass Water-Flask, 1250-60

FRONT

Click for a detail of the Ayyubid cavalryman. SIDE 1

BACK

Click for a detail of the Ayyubid mounted crossbowman. SIDE 2

Object type: Water-Flask
British Museum number: 1869,0120.3
Description: Glass canteen; gilded and enamelled decoration.
Culture/period: Ayyubid dynasty
Date: 1250-1260 (circa)
Found/Acquired: Syria
Materials: gold, glass
Technique: gilded, enamelled
Dimensions: Length: 23 centimetres, Height: 23.2 centimetres, Width: 15.2 centimetres

Curator's comments
Glass canteens are neither common nor is glass a particularly obvious material for making containers of this type. However, a fragmentary colourless cut glass canteen decorated in relief with animals, birds, palmettes and other motifs, attributed to the 9th-10th century and possibly found in Iran, exists in Corning (1955.1.125; cf. David Whitehouse, 2010: 'Catalogue of the Islamic Glass in Corning, Volume 1', Corning, pp.231-33, cat.388). In both cases, one sees outstanding work by glass artists of the Islamic period who have borrowed a form more common in other media.

---

Referenced as figure 131 in The military technology of classical Islam by D Nicolle
131. Enamelled glass flask, 1250-1260 AD, Syrian, British Museum no. 69.1.20.3, London.