Fragment of a Carved or Molded and Glazed Tile

Art Historical Context

This exquisite fragment of a carved or molded earthenware tile, glazed in vibrant turquoise, hails from the 12th century offers a glimpse into the splendor of Islamic architectural decoration. Measuring just over 6 inches square, it likely once adorned the walls or domes of a mosque, palace, or madrasa in the Islamic world, where such tiles transformed sacred and secular spaces into shimmering mosaics of light and color. The turquoise glaze, a hallmark medieval Islamic ceramics particularly from regions like Iran and Central Asia during the Seljuk era, achieved by firing earthenware at high t...