Why was this made, and how was it used?
Ceramic wares were generally made to store and serve food. However, in the eastern Mediterranean making ceramic bowls became an artform with the utilization of the sgraffito technique. The sgraffito technique was developed by Muslim potters to highly decorate ceramic ware with intricate designs. Muslims are forbidden from eating with metal ware and sgraffito allowed for their ceramic ware to have an elevated level of design that was missing from regular ceramic ware. Learn more about the sgraffito teachnique here. Highly decorated ceramics were more likely to be used as decoration and for special occasions.
This ceramic bowl with a harpy is distinct in its design and iconography. The harpy on this bowl, and other examples, would be recognized in the Eastern Mediterranean as an Islamic motif that symbolizes health, happiness and prosperity. Most of these examples of harpies are crowned with a three-pointed crown and luxiourious jewlery, like earings or ornamented collars. These three pointed crowns are remniscient of Persian and Turkish rulers. A good example are these depictions of Seljuk Sultans who ruled during the 11th century displayed to the right. The courtly status of the harpy was recognized due to the creature's history of victory and glory. The crowned harpy was associated with higher class and seen as symbols of those who were the bringers of food and drink. Due to this elevated status, this bowl would likely be gifted to a person of significance, like someone of the courts.