Jar

Of a globular form with a cylindrical mouth, this turquoise glazed pottery jar is classically characteristic of a collection of ceramics now known as ‘Raqqa wares’. The distinctive blue and bold black decorations are both features commonly found on this group attributed to Raqqa, a town on the Euphrates in northeast Syria, which was revitalized as a provincial centre under the Ayyubid prince al-Malik al-Ashraf Musa, who established his royal residences there between 597 and 627 AH/1201 and 1229 CE. This particular example is decorated with a broad band of black pseudo-Arabic script that wraps around its centre, and three finer bands below, one comprising a pattern of slanted dashes and the other two of solid black bands. A similar patterning encircles the jar's mouth. Such jars were most likely used as storage containers in the homes of affluent patrons.