How was this made?
Islamic Metalwork was mainly produced by metalworkers heating up the metal used, and hammering it with a mallet to create it into a bowl-like shape. With the force of four men, having one hold the metal with tongs, and the other three creating an assembly line to hammer the metal, the process can move smoothly. While the three men are hammering, the one with the tongs is supposed to slowly rotate the flat piece of metal, to create an even dent in the middle. Once the sides start to build up, the metal workers would then place the can-like shape on its side and hammer that side out from the inside to make it longer. The process involves a sturdy fire, experienced workers, and a decent amount of time. In the 13th century, a metal working school opened in Mosul, where this piece is from. It is quite possible it may have come from here. This type of design, while following the flowy linear style of its time, still stands out because of its imagery. Usually animals and plants were depicted during this time period, but this pyxis barely includes either.
