Arkivism
Vijzel, decorated with inlay work, arabesques, animals and Naskhi script
Public domain

Vijzel, decorated with inlay work, arabesques, animals and Naskhi script

anonymous · c. 1100 - c. 1225 · inlay (process); steken; casting; bronze (metal); copper (metal)

From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

The cast object has a flat base and a cylindrical interior and an octagonal exterior wall. This slopes obliquely upwards and downwards and has a flat top. The top and exterior have pierced decorations, details of which are inlaid with red copper or coated with a black paste. This has largely disappeared. The decoration corresponds to the articulation of the object. On top, half-moons surround a pierced vine ornament with a cloverleaf-like structure alternating with fields with stylized words in Naskhi script. These also appear on the sloping planes near the rim and foot. On the transitions from the sloping to the upright planes, there are profiled ribs inlaid with copper. The eight upright planes have alternately a decoration of a plait motif, which above and below transitions into arabesques or a frieze with a representation of respectively a hare, a panther, a hare and a dog against an arabesque, and with a border that above and below transitions into arabesques.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description
Subjects
mortar
Credit lineVijzel, versierd met inlegwerk, arabesken, dieren en Naskhi-schrift. c. 1100 - c. 1225. anonymous. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.

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