What does this tell us about the Crusades?
By: Mary Powell '24
After the crusades, many Europeans became familiar with Tehran due to its production of fine ceramics and silks. It is likely the bowl was traded which was the most common transportation of ceramics in the Middle Ages. Trade was most common with ceramics because these types of materials were not highly sought after such as gold or silk were. However, the beauty of these bowls allowed for gifts that European Crusaders might bring home.
Presumably, if the bowl was traded or otherwise acquired during the Crusades, it could have functioned not just as a bowl for feasts, but also a piece of art that could have been displayed for its visual qualities.
