12022-06-15T11:55:01-07:00Why was this made, and how was it used?12plain2022-11-20T10:32:45-08:00 Ceramic wares were generally made to be used to store and serve food. However, in the Mediterranean making ceramic bowls became an artform with the utilization of the technique, sgraffito. The sgraffito technique was developed by Muslim potters to highly decorate ceramic ware with intricate designs. Muslims are forbidden from eating with metal ware and sgraffito allowed for their ceramic ware to have an elevated level of design that was missing from regular ceramic ware. Learn more about the sgraffito teachnique here. Highly decorated ceramics were more likely to be used as decoration and for special occasions. This ceramic bowl with a harpy is distinct in its unique design and iconography. The harpy on this bowl, and other examples, would be recognized in the Eastern Mediterranean as an Islamic motif that symbolizes health, happiness and prosperity. Most of these examples of harpies are crowned with a three-pointed crown and luxiourious jewlery, like earings. These three pointed crowns are remniscient of Persian and Turkish rulers. A good example are these depictions of 11th century Seljuk Sultans displayed to the right. The courtly status of the harpy was recognized due to the creature's history of victory and glory. The crowned harpy was associated with higher class and seen as a symbol of those who were the bringers of food and drink. Due to this elevated status, this bowl was probably be gifted to a person of significance, like someone of the courts.
12022-06-15T11:55:39-07:00Who made this?6plain2022-11-11T11:15:07-08:00 It is hypothesized that this bowl was made in the Black Sea region, most likely by a Byzantine potter in a Chesonese workshop. As this area opened up to diverse groups of people who were primarily Muslim during the crusades, Byzantine and Islamic culture began to collide. Artistic traditions and motifs were getting adopted by Byzantine potters, for example, the harpy figure on this Byzantine bowl is primarily an Islamic motif. Aspects of the design and patterns, like the curlicues on the back of this bowl and on the legs of the harpy, are also typical of Islamic design. However, the circular and linear designs that describes the feathers on this bowl and the other example from the Karatay Madrasa Tile Works Museum are typical of Byzantine design. Evidently, the maker of this bowl was most likely a Byzantine potter who was strongly influenced by Islamic traditions. The result is this wonderful bowl that showcases the merging and sharing of ideas that was made possible by the spark of the Crusades.