Why was this made, and how was it used?
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.