Pottary Cooking Basin

This earthenware basin comes from the site of Murwab and dates to the 9th century. The design of the lip allows for either a ceramic or wooden lid to be fitted, or cloth or leather to be tied over the top to contain and protect the contents. It was most likely used to store or process food and liquids such as milk and milk products.

The basin has been broken and then carefully repaired: parallel lines of holes have been drilled into the sides so that they could be held together with strong ropes made from animal sinew or plant fibre. Black traces of bitumen (tar) are visible around the holes, making the repairs watertight.

The object was found in an area with other kitchen utensils such as cups, bowls and other basins, offering a good sample of the types of objects used in everyday life. However, it was not made in Qatar and was imported from somewhere else in the region, possibly from Iraq or southern Iran, proving that Murwab was part of a large trading network in the early Abbasid period.