So-Called Crusader's Bowl (HUAM 1975.41.143)
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.