Kohl Flask
Unknown Artist
9th–10th century
Medium
Soapstone; carved, drilled
Dimensions
H. 1 15/16 in. (5 cm) W. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm) D. 3/16 in. (0.4 cm)
Classification
Stone
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1976
Accession Number
1976.314.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate **Kohl Flask**, crafted in the 9th–10th century during the golden age of the Islamic world, served as a portable container for kohl, the black powder used as eyeliner by both men and women. Part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art collection (acquired through the Fletcher Fund in 1976), this small soapstone vessel reflects everyday elegance in Abbasid-era society, where personal grooming and adornment were cultural staples. Measuring just 1 15/16 inches high and 2 3/4 inches wide, its compact form (with a remarkably thin depth of 3/16 inch) made it ideal for travelers...