Elliptical bowl

Hammered, repousse, and chased.

This dish is composed of a series of gilded repousse designs with engraved details originating around a central unit of four long-legged birds whose heads adjoin each other.Six birds with long curving tails and short bodies enclosed by medallions surround this central unit. In the corners of the dish are four more birds of similar design to the ones in the central unit. A series of lines made up of small “dots” divides the dish into 19 diamond-shaped compartments. Floral motifs punctuate the compartments around the birds.

Historical period(s)
Sasanian period, 6th-7th century
Medium
Silver and gilt
Dimensions
H x W x D: 6.3 × 21.8 × 11.7 cm (2 1/2 × 8 9/16 × 4 5/8 in)
Geography
Iran
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1985.28
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Metalwork, Vessel
Type

Bowl

Keywords
Iran, Sasanian period (ca. 224 - 651)
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Hammered, repousse, and chased.

This dish is composed of a series of gilded repousse designs with engraved details originating around a central unit of four long-legged birds whose heads adjoin each other.Six birds with long curving tails and short bodies enclosed by medallions surround this central unit. In the corners of the dish are four more birds of similar design to the ones in the central unit. A series of lines made up of small "dots" divides the dish into 19 diamond-shaped compartments. Floral motifs punctuate the compartments around the birds.

Label

Elliptical bowls of this form are a well-attested type of late Sasanian silver vessel, used for drinking wine. The organization of the decoration in diamond-shaped compartments is found on late Sasanian vessels of other shapes and on works in other media, including textiles.

Published References
  • Najmieh Batmanglij. From Persia to Napa: Wine at the Persian Table. Washington. p. 26.
  • Oleg Grabar. Sasanian Silver: Late Antique and Early Mediaeval Arts of Luxury from Iran. Tokyo. cat. 35, p. 120.
  • Ecclesiastical Silver Plate in Sixth-Century Byzantium Vessels: Papers of the Symposium held May 16-18, 1986 at the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore and Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C. Washington. pp. 147-53.
  • Michael Vickers. Metrological Reflections: Attic, Hellenistic, Parthian and Sasanian Gold and Silver Plate. vol. 24, no. 2 Paris. pp. 163-85.
  • Ann C. Gunter, Paul Jett. Ancient Iranian Metalwork in the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the Freer Gallery of Art. Washington and Mainz, Germany, 1992. cat. 28, p 174-176.
  • P. Amlet. Antiquites Parthes et Sasanides. no. 4-5, 1967. pp. 273-282.
  • Prudence Oliver Harper. Boat-Shaped Bowls of the Sasanian Period. vol. 23. pp. 331-345.
Collection Area(s)
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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