Fragment
Unknown Artist
9th–10th century
Medium
Stoneware
Dimensions
H. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm) W. 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm) D. 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm) Wt. 2.5 oz. (71 g)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Wendell M. Hastings, 1960
Accession Number
60.23.72
Art Historical Context
This delicate stoneware fragment, dating to the 9th–10th, offers a glimpse into the sophisticated ceramic traditions of the Islamic world during the Abbasid era. Crafted by an unknown artist, it hails from a time when potters in regions like Iraq and Iran were pioneering durable, high-fired wares inspired by both local ingenuity and distant influences, such as Chinese stoneware techniques introduced via Silk Road trade. Measuring just 1⅝ inches high and weighing a mere 2.5 ounces, its petite scale suggests it may be part of a small vessel, tile, or decorative object, perfect for everyday use o...