Where was this bowl produced?
Scholars at the Worcester Art Museum have attributed this bowl to Rayy, a medieval city outside present-day Tehran, Iran. One of the earliest cities in Iran, Rayy was taken by the newly-formed Muslim community moving northeast from the Arabian peninsula in 640 and later served as the governor's residence in eastern Iran. By the 10th century, Rayy had become one of the most prominent cities in Western Asia and flourished under Seljuk rule.
Alongside Kashan, Rayy was a famous center for silk and ceramic production. Archeologists have attributed enamel and lusterwares of various shapes, patterns, and sizes to the Rayy region. However, kilns are yet to be excavated from the city.
Rayy is one of many significant lusterware production sites. Lusterware was first produced in Basra, Iraq, and later in Iran. Production then traveled around the Mediterranean, moving west into Egypt under the Fatimid Caliphate and spreading across North Africa into Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and Libya. The ceramic technique was introduced in Málaga, Spain, before returning to the Near East under the Persian Seljuks.
