Jar

This turquoise glazed baluster jar has a cylindrical mouth and everted lip. It is decorated with a monumental band of black thuluth script set against a delicate scrollwork pattern. The inscription, which is benedictory in nature, follows an Islamic tradition of inscribing earthenware dishes used for food and drink with proverbs or blessings; these were intended to bless or bring good fortune to their unidentified owner. This jar has been attributed to Raqqa, a city in northern Syria known to have been an important centre for ceramic production. While the city of Raqqa peaked during the Abbasid period, when the fifth Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid (145 – 190 AH/763-806 CE) made it his capital, it was later revived under the patronage of Ayyubid ruler al-Malik al-Ashraf Musa when he established his royal residences there between 597 – 626 AH/1201-1229 CE. This period was also marked by intense industrial activity, including the production of glazed stonepaste ceramics.