Bottle
Unknown Artist
9th–10th century
Medium
Glass; blown, cut; tooled on the pontil
Dimensions
H. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm) Max. Diam 2 3/16 in. ( 5.5 cm)
Classification
Glass
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Marilyn Jenkins, in memory of her father, Dr. Arthur M. Jenkins, 1982
Accession Number
1982.478.7
Art Historical Context
This delicate glass bottle, crafted by an unknown artisan in the 9th–10th century, exemplifies exquisite glassmaking traditions of the Islamic world during the Abbasid era. Standing just 2¾ inches tall with a maximum diameter of 2⅛ inches, it was likely used to hold precious oils, perfumes, or spices—common luxuries in medieval Islamic society. Its small scale belies the sophistication of its creation, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Department of Islamic Art. The bottle was made using advanced techniques: glass was blown into shape, then meticulously cut for decoration and toole...