Though not directly connected to being made during a Crusade, this bowl says a lot about the time period. Even though the Crusades were a time of violence perpetrated by Christians, it also was a time of cultural exchange. Christian identity in both the religious and social realms was deeply impacted by the Crusades. Whether it was through adaptations of certain religious figures or works of art, imitating Islamic art, or social norms, Crusaders across the board were impacted by Islamic culture. 

This cultural exchange ushered in a wave of traditional Byzantine art with motifs found in traditional Islamic art. The “Fragmentary Cermaic Bowl…” is an excellent example of this. The traditional lusterware, green-blue coloring, and attempt at reproducing Arabic are all motifs in Islamic art. The time period in which it was made and where it is sourced from indicate that the bowl is Byzantine or Crusader-made, though.

Through this intersection of the Islamic and Western worlds, the Crusades were more than a clash of two religions. One can now see the deep connections modern religion, art, and culture have through these connections between Christianity and Islam. It is important to recognize that the time period brought unjust violence to communities across Eastern Europe to the Middle East. These wounds cut deep and continue to contribute to tensions that are prevalent to this day.