Fragment of a Waster
Unknown Artist
11th–12th century
Medium
Stonepaste; white body, molded, incised and pierced under celadon-green glaze
Dimensions
H. 2 1/4 in. (5.7 cm) W. 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm) D. 7/16 in. (1.1 cm) Wt. 0.4 oz. (11.3 g)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1948
Accession Number
48.101.46
Art Historical Context
This delicate fragment, known as a "waster," hails from Islamic world of the 11th–12th century and offers a glimpse into the experimental workshops of medieval potters. A waster is a discarded piece damaged during production—likely cracked in the kiln—preserving techniques that might otherwise be lost. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Department, this tiny stonepaste shard (just over 2 inches high) exemplifies the ingenuity of artisans in regions like Iran or Syria, where ceramic innovation flourished amid Silk Road exchanges. Crafted from a white stonepaste body—a composite...