Earthenware bowl with decoration deeply incised through a white slip and covered with a clear glaze. Painted in brown and green. Iran, 1100-1200

The body of this bowl is of a pinky-red colour. It is covered with a thick white slip. The wide interior rim has been heavily carved with a gauge creating a band of stylised leaves in relief. It appears that iron oxide has been rubbed into the carved out background of this rim and then splashed over part of the interior.

At time of acquisition this bowl was described as 'Persian 9th century'.

Lane, Early Islamic Pottery:
pl.33B and p.26 Good evidence these wares were made at Astkand and other remote villages in the Garrus district of Kurdistan (SW of the Caspian Sea).
Watson, Ceramics from Islamic:
incised through slip splashed wares first appear in 10th century Iran. They continued into the 11th century with a more controlled use of colour. "Aghkand£ wares - double incised lines not only to outline design but also to contain colours.
Wilkinson:
Cat.33 (Metropolitan Museum, NY) Bowl, graffiato, decoration on a white engobe, yellow-born streaks. Yaskand, 11th-12thc.
This decoration has been effected by cutting through the white slip and applying iron oxide to those areas. This leaves the decoration in white against a dark brown ground. The streaks are due to the running of the iron-stained glaze as the bowl was fired. Has three spur marks which is a common Iranian custom.

The decoration on this bowl is characteristic of the pottery production centres in Northern Iran. The bowl was covered with a thick white slip and then the backround, as seen here on the wide rim, was carved away. This left the decoratiom of a band of stylised leaves in low relief. The background was then filled, rubbed in, with iron oxide to create a dark effect. Traditionally, this has been known as 'Garrus ware' after the region in NW Iran where similar pottery has been found.

CIRC.1398-1923