Dish

This dish is one of the finest known examples of the celebrated black-and-white wares of Samanid Iran and Central Asia, often referred to as "Nishapur ware". Although Nishapur is merely one of many cities where these ceramics may have been produced, it is clear that they were appreciated in the city, as many examples have been excavated from archaeological projects in the area.
Epigraphic wares are examples of an aesthetic interest in calligraphy, for both its decorative and expressive qualities. Samanid examples are typically decorated in black on a white slip ground, perhaps copying silver dishes with similar decoration of black niello on the polished silver. The inscriptions illustrate the social and literary interests of the dishes' owners. Usually consisting of aphorisms in Arabic and sayings attributed to the Prophet and his successors, the text here is a proverb attributed to Yahya ibn Ziyad, quoted in the Mu’jam al-Shu’ara: "He who unable to have an opinion will lose his chance - and when it is too late, he will blame fate". The inscription is revealed as the contents are eaten - providing an exemplary 'conversation piece' with which to conclude a social gathering of scholars.