Although the development from the pre-Islamic
period to the middle of the ninth century is very
recognizable in architecture, including works in
stone, plaster and wood, it becomes quite
blurred on other media such as metalwork and
pottery. Between the 5th and the 8th century
glass production seems unchanged, although the
surviving objects would still point to an industry
that persisted and thrived, almost careless of
the political and religious turmoils of the
Ummayad era, including the death of the
prophet
Muhammad. Perhaps, the diffusion of glass-
blowing and the consequent paucity of high
quality glass after the crumbling of the Roman
Empire might have hampered the rulers'
sponsorship of glassmaking, yet during this
period glass became more accessible for
mundane use and thus, by loosing its status
value, less attractive to affluent patrons.
Late Roman glass made along the coasts of
modern Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Egypt that is
usually classified as 'eastern Mediterranean” thus
kept on being produced during the early Islamic
period. Its features include the decoration with
applied trails that could be pulled either from
the
same glass batch or from a different one.
Applied trails were also used functionally as
handles and feet; commonly the thread was
patterned in zigzags or simple spirals. When
trails of the same colour were used, they were
manipulated with a pointed tool or a fine pincher
after they were applied to the vessel. While
weathering due to burial often prevents a full
appreciation of the chromatic as well as the
sculptural appeal of a glass vessel many have
survived in excellent conditions and still convey
a
playful charm.
Plastic decoration also included patches of glass
of different shapes applied at regular intervals to
the surface of the vessel. Globular bottles and
vases, small flasks and ewers were the favoured
shapes during the Islamic period. The decorative
patches took either regular circular forms (discs,
roundels, ovals, prunts) or irregular geometrical
shapes (triangles, six-pointed star, composite
figures) that have sometimes been interpreted as
animal hides or masks. The majority of such
vessels were decorated with patches of the same
colour since the shape and distribution on the
surface would be sufficient to emphasize the
ornamental pattern.
This small translucent aubergine glass bottle
features a large flared neck pulled from the
almost spherical body. A ring was applied at the
base to form the foot. The body is decorated
with two applied coiled discs,
a type of decoration consistent to small
globular bottles with a relatively large mouth like
the one featured here.
Globular bottles such as this one, which never
exceeded a height of 10 cm, are more common
than cylindrical flasks. The absence of a handle
would suggest its use as a sprinkler or a
container for pharmaceutical products.
Such decorated vessels were once dated
exclusively to the pre-Islamic period. However,
a
dating to the proto-islamic period (7th -8th
century) seems more appropriate, since these
objects do not have an immediate parallel with
known late Roman pieces. On the other hand
they were certainly produced before the
codification of shapes and decorative patterns
that occurred in the 9th century.
For comparable bottles see S. Carboni, Glass
from Islamic Lands, 2001: pp.26-27, pls. 5a-5b.
. LO. 902: Small jar, free-blown brownish-green
glass with applied discs. The globular body has a
short widely opening neck and rests on an
attached
ring. The body is decorated with four applied
discs
in relief.
Syria or Palestine, 7th – 8th century.
Ht. 5.1cm; Top diam. 3cm; Base diam. 2.3cm
Comparative material: similar bottle, but without
trailed decoration is illustrated by Israeli,
cat.no.436, p.336 and another in Carboni-
Whitehouse, no.34, p.115. The relief flat discs or
facets reveal relationship to Sasanian glass,
dating
between the 4th and 7th centuries. Cf. Fukai,
op.cit., nos. 11- 13.
Prof. Geza Fehervari
Prof. Geoffrey King
