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Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology

 

 

Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology & the Ancient World
Brown University
Box 1837 / 60 George Street
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: (401) 863-3188
Fax: (401) 863-9423
[email protected]

Uploaded Image


This beautiful pitcher was created from one single piece of rock crystal and dates from the Fatimid Period. Its floral and animal motifs are fairly typical of the period. The highly-skilled craftsmanship required to create such an intricate, ornate piece indicates that it was an elite good and possibly a part of teh decadent Fatimid Court in Cairo. Incidentally, after the demise of the luxurious Fatimid court, its prized possessions were sold to pay back substantial debts; many pitchers, like the one shown here, ended up in European Churches as vessels for saints' remains.