Who made this?
It is hypothesized that this bowl was made in the Black Sea region, most likely by a Byzantine potter in a Chesonese workshop. As this area opened up to diverse groups of people who were primarily Muslim during the crusades, Byzantine and Islamic culture began to collide. Artistic traditions and motifs were getting adopted by Byzantine potters, for example, the harpy figure on this Byzantine bowl is primarily an Islamic motif. Aspects of the design and patterns, like the curlicues on the back of this bowl and on the legs of the harpy, are also typical of Islamic design. However, the circular and linear designs that describes the feathers on this bowl and the other example from the Karatay Madrasa Tile Works Museum are typical of Byzantine design. Evidently, the maker of this bowl was most likely a Byzantine potter who was strongly influenced by Islamic traditions. The result are these wonderful bowls that showcases the merging and sharing of ideas that was made possible by the spark of the Crusades.