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Bringing the Holy Land Home: The Crusades, Chertsey Abbey, and the Reconstruction of a Medieval Masterpiece

So-Called Crusader's Bowl

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So-Called Crusader's Bowl (HUAM 1975.41.143) By Gracyn Benck '23

This vessel seems to have been made in Muslim-ruled Fatimid Egypt for a Christian patron, because of the inclusion of the row of Christian crosses toward the bottom of the vessel. Above the row of crosses is a pseudo-Arabic inscription. These forms look like Arabic letters but do not have any actual meaning. This type of ornament reflected how important Arabic writing was, even for a Christian audience.
This object could have been brought home by a crusader as a souvenir. The Seventh Crusade (1248–1254) went to Egypt. On the other hand, this could have been kept in a Christian (either crusader or local Christian) community in the eastern Mediterranean. In Syria and Egypt, for example, there were large local Christian populations. Objects like this bowl did not need to travel far to be valued.
Who made this?
By Gracyn Benck '23

This bowl was probably made by a Fatimid craftsperson. The Fatimid empire was in Egypt and North Africa from 909-1171. Pre-Islamic cultural influence as well as the local Egyptian culture were reflected in many pieces of Fatimid metalwork. In the tenth century, Fatimid objects were relatively simple, but over time they developed a more distinctive design. The So-Called Crusader’s Bowl is similar in size and shape to other Fatimid objects; for instance, the bowl below. The Greek crosses (equal-armed crosses) at the base of our bowl also point to Fatimid metalwork being made for Christian patrons.
How was this made? By Brooke Hendershott '23

This statue is made primarily of copper gilt. The core of the priest, base, and relic tube would have been cast as separate pieces from copper. A model of the final piece would have been made out of clay or wax, and then cast by being submerged in layers of plaster. Then the plaster would be broken open and the clay or wax would be removed to leave a two part mold. This mold was then secured and filled with molten copper and left to cool. When the plaster mold is removed, this process yields a solid copper piece. These pieces would then be soldered or fitted together to create the whole sculpture.

After the assembly, the statue would be gilded. Gilding is the process of giving a piece of art a thin layer of gold or gold colored surfacing. There are three ways to accomplish this with copper. One way would be to use a gold paint. The pure metal could be shaved into very small pieces and then ground into an oil binder to produce a metallic paint that would be brushed onto the surface of the statue to make a coating. Another option is gold leafing: where very thin sheets of copper would be applied to the statue surface with a glue to hold it on. The last, most common with metal, and longest lasting option is to put the statue into an oven until it is almost red hot, then burnish, or polish by rubbing, gold or copper leaf onto the surface of the very hot statue.

Finally, there was originally brightly colored enameling on the relic tube. This is champlevé enamel: a technique that was developed in France in the 12th century. This enameling technique is done by making wells or grooves in the metal through carving, hammering, or casting and then filling those areas with an enamel powder. This powder-filled piece is then fired in an oven where the enamel will liquify and fuse to the metal. Once done, the tube caps would have been polished, fitted to the glass tube containing the relic, and then secured to the gilded statue to complete the reliquary.

This method is in contrast to other metal works in the show such as the So-called Crusader's Bowl
What is this?
By Gracyn Benck '23

This metal bowl was probably made in Egypt in the eleventh century. It is decorated with vine scroll, pseudo-Arabic script, and Greek crosses. Vine scroll, which contains plant motifs, decorates the top of the bowl around the circumference. Vine scroll is seen in many Islamic works. Underneath the vine scroll is pseudo-Arabic. These are forms that look like Arabic letters but do not have any actual meaning. This type of ornament could evoke legible Arabic as a recognition as to how important Arabic writing was. Below the pseudo-Arabic script are Greek crosses, which are crosses with four limbs of equal length. These crosses were widely used as a Christian religious symbol. This mixture of vine scroll, pseudo-Arabic, and Christian crosses suggest the cross-cultural interactions that occurred in Crusades.
This bowl is part of a wide network of metalworking. The broad tradition of Islamic metalwork reflects the patronage and desires of diverse social and economic classes. These metal objects were sometimes simple and other times quite ornate. These objects’ decoration employs various common themes as well as unique compositions.
What does this tell us about the Crusades?
By Gracyn Benck '23

We do not know whether the So Called Crusader's Bowl was taken home by a crusader. Still, during the crusaders' time in cities like Cairo, they had an urge to take home objects that represented their travel and their commitment to the mission. A small bowl would have been convenient in that it could travel long distances without breaking. If it was brought home by a crusader, this bowl could have functioned as a direct link to the Holy Land.

For the crusaders, remembering and maintaining a connection to the Holy Land was vital. These objects provided that last physical link to the Holy Land after the Crusades had ended. Christian patrons still had a strong craving for connection to the local culture in the Holy Land despite their lack of control over it.
Where was this produced? By Gracyn Benck '23

Since there is no documentation, it is impossible to know exactly where the So-Called Crusader’s Bowl was made, but it is possible it was made in Cairo. The Crusader’s Bowl likely came from an area where there was a large Christian population who were the patrons of objects like these. Objects with Christian themes around this period commonly came from Syria and Egypt due to the large Christian communities there. In Egypt, Cairo had a substantial Christian population. Multiple objects produced in the twelfth century have inscriptions stating they were made in Cairo. This bowl most likely came from Cairo around a century earlier than these other known objects. The Christian presence in Cairo would have been the patrons for these kinds of objects based on the Christian and pseudo-Arabic themes decorating the bowl. It is also likely to have come from Cairo due to its similarity to other objects made in Fatimid Egypt.
Where did this go? By Gracyn Benck '23

Where the object went is unclear. It was likely created in Egypt, possibly in Cairo, and could have easily traveled far from its place of origin. Objects like this bowl and other metal vessels were durable and portable. It could have been brought home by a Crusader as a souvenir. On the other hand, it could have been kept in a Christian (either Crusader or local Christian) community in the eastern Mediterranean. In Syria and Egypt, there were large local Christian populations.

Currently, this bowl is part of the collections of the Harvard Art Museum. It was a gift to the Arthur M. Sackler Museum from the Hagop Kevorkian Foundation in memory of Hagop Kevorkian in 1975.
Why was this made, and how was it used?
By Gracyn Benck '23

This metal bowl seems to have been made for a Christian, because of the inclusion of the row of crosses toward the bottom of the vessel. A Crusader could have taken it from the Holy Land as a physical connection to the memory and experience of these Crusades. It likely served the secular and everyday function of holding food, wine, oil, etc. Since it is only fifteen centimeters, the bowl was very portable and could have been taken back to a Crusader’s home. It would be able to travel easily along the Crusade route and back with the patron. On the other hand, it could have been kept in a Christian (either crusader or local Christian) community in the eastern Mediterranean. In Syria and Egypt, for example, there were large local Christian populations.
How was this made?
By Gracyn Benck '23

Brass, bronze, and other metals could be shaped by various methods including casting, hammering, turning, and spinning. A common technique was that of casting, which refers to the process of making a metal object by pouring molten metal into a refractory void with a mold, allowing the metal to solidify. It is most likely, though, that the Crusader’s Bowl was made by hammering. This is due to the thin metal that makes up the body of the bowl. Hammering is done by shaping a sheet of metal by repeated blows of a hammer.

The foot of the bowl, however, could have been cast and then given additional shaping from spinning. Spinning refers to shaping metal or vessels into round shapes by forcing the sheet or object against metal or wood while it rotates on a spinning lathe. This requires a large amount of force especially when applied to thick metal made by a cast.

The engraving, or ornament, was cut into the surface of the bowl by means of a tool such as a graver or burin. The bowl also has an “inscription” (pseudo-Arabic). Inscriptions were often made on metal objects by drawing with a pointed instrument across the surface to produce lines. The tool used to produce the lines is called a scriber.
When was this made?
By Gracyn Benck '23

The So-Called Crusader Bowl was made during the eleventh century. Fatimid rule was then at its peak in Egypt. In the twelfth century, under Saladin, the Fatimids would be replaced by the Ayyubids, who would control Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and Yemen. In the Islamic world, several other dynasties were ruling in Spain, North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, and Muslim regions of central Asia and India. The crusades only complicated this already complex political history. Seven crusades arrived in Islamic lands between 1096 and 1270. Art flourished in these lands despite political unrest resulting from the rise and fall of dynasties. The competition for power also caused an equally high demand for pricey objects to display rulers' power and wealth.

The artists of the eleventh century therefore created refined objects for their demanding patrons. Many works were decorated with inscriptions or ornament, which were prominent characteristics of Islamic metalwork. Often inscriptions simply have repeated well wishes, but some inscriptions provide important information as to where an object was made and why.