So-Called Crusader's Bowl
1 media/18211727_thumb.jpg 2021-11-03T13:34:50-07:00 Gracyn Benck bc96d0084fda5f5541b29614428cb28aef296a8d 39447 3 So-called Crusader’s Bowl, made in Egypt (?), ca. 1000–1100. Metal (15.75 cm). Cambridge, MA, Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of The Hagop Kevorkian Foundation in memory of Hagop Kevorkian, 1975.41.143. Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College. plain 2022-06-08T12:35:20-07:00 Brooke Hendershott b0a907cd0f989ee79e94592378a1545647719cfbThis page is referenced by:
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So-Called Crusader's Bowl (HUAM 1975.41.143)
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2022-07-08T06:44:43-07:00
30.08644768051757, 31.26584908901612
By Gracyn Benck '23
About the size of a cereal bowl, this 11th century metal bowl exemplifies the effect of Christian patronage on Islamic craftsmanship during the Crusades. Large crusader communities gathered in places like Syria and Egypt, creating a large market for Holy Land souvenirs. This portable bowl includes Islamic vine scroll, meaningless pseudo-Arabic script, and Christian Greek crosses, connecting Christian patrons to local culture without completely alienating them. Through objects like the So-called Crusader's Bowl, crusaders could bring a piece of the Holy Land home with them after their mission was done. -
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How was this made?
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2022-06-14T12:36:16-07:00
By Brooke Hendershott '23
This statue is made mostly 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 most of 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
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2021-11-03T13:52:12-07:00
What does this tell us about the Crusades?
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2022-06-14T07:51:35-07:00
By Gracyn Benck '23
The So Called Crusader's Bowl speaks to the cross-cultural interactions and importance of connection to the Holy mission the Crusades were justified under. This object shows a conscious effort to connect to the local Islamic culture and Christian themes in its ornament. crusaders traveled far distances to the Holy Land on their mission to regain their “God given right” to the Holy Land. During the crusader’s time in cities like Cairo they had an urge to take home objects that represented their travel and their commitment to the mission. The crusaders in Egypt were patrons of many metal vessels, like this bowl. They were convenient in that they could travel long distances due to their small size and portability, which made them ideal objects to take home as a souvenir of the Crusades or be kept at their new settlement. This bowl likely functioned as a direct link to Christian’s biblical legacy and claims 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. The So-Called Crusader's Bowl played an important role in the Crusades in which Christian, Islamic, and pseudo-Islamic motifs came together through cross cultural interactions to form a physical connection to the lasting Christian memory of the experience of the Crusades. -
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Who made this?
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2022-06-13T10:22:16-07:00
By Gracyn Benck '23
In the tenth century, Fatimid objects were simple, but overtime they developed certain aesthetics and distinctive design after their conquest of Egypt. The pre-Islamic cultural influence as well as the local Egyptian culture were reflected in many pieces of Fatimid metalwork. The Fatimids created a unique design and aesthetic seen in their metalworking (Bilotto, 2012). The So-Called Crusader’s Bowl is similar in size and shape to other Fatimid objects and was most likely made by the Fatimids. Its similarities to other Fatimid objects show the common Fatimid design of bowls used for both secular purposes and Christian patrons in Egypt (Bilotto, 2012). Further, the pseudo-Kufic and Greek Crosses also point to Fatimid design being made for Christian patrons as the bowl had both clear influences from Islamic culture as well as Christian symbolism.
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What is this?
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2022-06-14T07:23:12-07:00
By Gracyn Benck '23
This is a metal Egyptian bowl. It was made in the eleventh century as a part of a wide network of metalworking. It is around fifteen centimeters in size (Hatvard Art Museum). It is deocrated with various cultural themes including vine scroll, pseudo-Kufic, and Greek crosses. The top level of ornament is vine scroll. Vine scroll is commonly made of plant motifs. This decorates the top of the bowl around the circumference. Vine scroll is commonly associated with Islamic culture and seen in many Islamic works. Underneath the vine scroll is pseudo-Kufic. This is a fake form of Arabic that does not have any actual meaning (Bilotto, 2012). Rather than using actual Arabic with a literal meaning this type of ornament was more was meant to evoke legible Arabic as an homage to the local culture of Islamic calligraphy. The pseudo-Kufic script seen on this bowl shows the cross-cultural interactions that occurred in the Islamic crusaded cities and shows the Christian patronage that sought a connection to the local culture they experienced during the Crusades (Bilotto, 2012). Below the pseudo-Kufic script are Greek crosses. When a cross has four limbs of equal length, it is called a Greek cross or "crux quadrata". These crosses were widely used and would have been understood to be a Christian religious symbol. This bottom ornament of the bowl provides the greatest Christian connection to the object. This bowl stood as the last physical reminder of their mission as crusaders.
The tradition of metalwork in Islam 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. Various techniques were utilized to make and decorate these objects. While little is known about the places in which these metal objects were made, the most valuable information comes from the object itself. Despite many being dated or signed, physical analysis of the object allows scholars to identify common themes among various objects and identify the likely place of origin.
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Where was this produced?
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By Gracyn Benck '23
The exact location of production of the So-Called Crusader’s Bowl is unknown. However, it was certainly made in Islamic lands that were being Crusaded during the eleventh century. The Crusader’s Bowl likely came from an area where there was a large Christian population who were the patrons of objects like these (Atil et al, 1985). Objects with Christian themes around this period commonly came from Syria and Egypt due to the large Christian communities there (Bilotto, 2012). In Egypt, Cairo had a substantial Christian population. Multiple objects produced in the twelfth century have inscriptions stating they were made in Cairo. Since there is no specific documentation, it is impossible to know exactly where the So-Called Crusader’s Bowl was made, but it 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-Islamic themes decorating the bowl. It is also likely to have come from Cairo due to its similarity to other objects from the Fatimid caliphate. This bowl resembles other Fatimid bowls in Egypt showing a design made for both secular and Christian uses (Bilotto, 2012). -
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Where did this go?
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2022-06-13T10:26:37-07:00
By Gracyn Benck '23
Where the object went is unclear. It was created in Egypt (likely in Cairo) and could have easily traveled a far distance from its place of origin. Objects like this bowl and other vessels were durable and portable (Atil et al, 1985). This allowed Crusaders to be able to travel long distances with the objects either carrying them with them during the Crusades or traveling home with these souvenir-like objects. It is likely that this object could have ended up in Europe as the Crusader who was the patron for this item returned home after the Crusades.
It is also possible, though, the object was acquired in Islamic lands by Crusaders and kept there. In Syria and Egypt, for example, there were large Christian settlements in the Crusaded lands (Atil et al, 1985). This means objects like the Crusader’s Bowl may not have traveled a far distance from its place of origin. Instead, the object may have stayed in Cairo or traveled along with the crusader to the next location on their mission to reclaim the Holy Land.
Currently, this bowl is at Harvard's Art Museum. It was a gift from the Arthur M. Sackler Museum from the Hagop Kevorkian Foundation in memory of Hagop Kevorkian in 1975 where it has been since (Harvard Art Museum, 2021). -
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How was this made?
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2022-06-14T07:44:46-07:00
By Gracyn Benck '23
The predominant material used in this age was brass, which would be shaped by various methods including casting, hammering, turning, and spinning. The So-Called Crusader's Bowl was made with either bronze or brass. Many metal objects were commonly made by the technique 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 (Atil et al, 1985).
The foot of the bowl was likely cast and 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 (Atil et al, 1985).
The engraving, or ornament, is done using a decorative technique in which metal is removed by cutting into the surface of the bowl. This is done with tools such as gravers, burins, or scorpers (Atil et al, 1985). The bowl also has an “inscription” (pseudo-Arabic writing). Inscriptions are made on metal objects by drawing with a pointed instrument across the surface to produce lines. The tool used to produce the lines is often called a scriber (Atil et al, 1985). -
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Why was this made, and how was it used?
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By Gracyn Benck '23
This object was made because of Christian/Crusader patronage. It was made for the specific function of connecting the Crusaders to the local culture in the cities they crusaded. It was made to be taken from the crusaded cities as a physical connection to the memory and experience of these Crusades. It likely served secular and everyday function of holding food, wine, oil, etc. (Bilotto, 2012). Since it is only fifteen centimeters, the bowl was very portable and could have been taken back to the Crusader’s home. It would be able to travel easily along the Crusade route and back with the patron, or it could have resided with the patron now living in a Christian settlement in the Crusaded Islamic lands.
The decoration of the bowl points to its religious/Christian use. In the middle of the bowl there is pseudo-Kufic around the circumference. This is a form of fake Arabic writing. The fake writing is an homage to Arabic calligraphy and shows the Christian desire for connection to the local culture. The vine scroll above also shows the appreciation and desire for a connection to the local Islamic culture, as these plant motifs are commonly seen in Islamic art. The bottom level shows Greek Crosses which are connected to Christianity. The blend of these Christian, non-Christian, and pseudo-Islamic ornaments around the circumference of the bowl point to the secular and religious function this bowl served (Atil et al, 1985). Importantly, this bowl provided a religious connection to the Holy Land through its decoration with elements of the local culture and Christian symbolism which shaped crusader’s experience during the Crusades. -
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When was this made?
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2022-06-14T07:30:24-07:00
By Gracyn Benck '23
The So-Called Crusader Bowl was made during the eleventh century. The eleventh to thirteenth centuries were known as the Classical Age. During the Classical Age, central Islamic lands were reunited under one rule. Early in the period, Fatimid rule was at its peak but would soon be replaced by the Ayyubids, who would then control Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and Yemen. Several other dynasties were ruling in Spain, North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, and Muslim regions of central Asia and India (Atil et al, 1985). The Crusades during this age only complicated the 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. From the Crusades resulted unprecedented prosperity that affected both artists and patrons. Imperial patronage increased as establishment of new states meant new want for expensive possessions. The competition for power also caused an equally high demand for pricey objects to display their power and wealth (Atil et al, 1985).
The artists of the Classical Age therefore created refined objects for their demanding patrons. This period was defined by the rising prosperity of the middle class (Atil et al, 1985). Metalwork, specifically, reached its epitome of technical perfection during the Classical Age. Many works were decorated with inscriptions or ornaments, which then became one of the most prominent characteristics of Islamic metalwork. Usually, inscriptions have repeated well wishes, but taking a closer look at inscriptions provides important information as to where an object was made and why (Atil et al, 1985). Artists produced a wide variety of objects and utilized many techniques and materials to decorate and embellish each piece.