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Beaker
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
The circular shapes of the cup’s handle feature a flat edge on which the user rested their thumb for better grip, a design characteristic of silver objects made during the 700s by Sogdian artists, who traveled from Central Asia along international trade routes. An ownership inscription in Tibetan script on the underside of the cup identifies the vessel as a personal possession. The circles and lines carved below this inscription are likely measurements recording the weight of the silver used for the cup.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineBeaker, c. late 600s–early 700s. Central Asia (Sogdiana) or Tibet. Silver with gilding; diameter: 10.2 cm (4 in.); overall: 10.2 cm (4 in.); . The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund, 1988.67.2
