How was this made?
By: Mary Powell '24
Ceramic bowls of the medieval era were made from a mixture of clay, plants, and water. Sometimes pebbles or sand were used along with glass fragments. When these ingredients were all mixed together, they formed a very hard paste that was a perfect base layer for these Islamic ceramics. When making more refined ceramics, fancy glazes such as lustreware and other high-quality paints were used for detailing. Specifically, at this time, the underglaze paint color was oftentimes a blue or turquoise glaze, topped with lustreware.
Other examples of ceramics that underwent a similar process of production from the ancient city Rayy, Iran, include the WAM 1918.18 bowl and a bowl from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
WAM 1918.18 Bowl
Metropolitan Museum of Art