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• 1 2024-03-28T13:31:14-07:00 When was the Reclining Cat made? 5 plain 2024-08-15T10:46:48-07:00 Audrey Wang, Class of 2025, College of the Holy Cross
  
  The reclining cat sculpture was made in the 1100s or 1200s, during the late Seljuk or early Khwarezmian eras of rule in Iran. The Seljuk Empire was a melting pot of Persian, Islamic, and Central Asian traditions. This period saw the rise of great poets like Rumi and Omar Khayyam, whose works remain influential to this day. This was also a time of architectural innovation, with the construction of grand mosques and madrasas (educational institutions) that showcased intricate patterns of Islamic art and calligraphy. The Seljuks were succeeded by the Khwarezmian dynasty, under which cultural and scientific endeavors continued to flourish until the Mongol invasions of the early 1200s. It was against this backdrop of cultural richness and change that the bronze cat sculpture was crafted. The object's inscriptions and motifs reflect the intellectual and artistic environment of the time, where people had a desire for knowledge, poetry, and the decorative arts. Moreover, the inlaid copper technique of the cat's features is indicative of the sophisticated metallurgical and artistic skills that were developed during this period.