Chased and tinned copper sheet
Persia, 17th century
Flattened round shape
Extensive decor with inscription band, tendrils, sculptural honeycomb ribbons and cartouches
Type of bowl used by the Sufis
Diameter mouth: 18 cm, height: 12 cm
Weight: c. 1,15 kg
Good condition
Provenance: Important Austrian private collection

The present bowl shows the typical shape of Sufi wine-bowls from the Safavid period (16th/17th century). It has a round and flattened body, which first retracts and then widens towards the mouth. Exemplary for that kind of object is the execution in hammered copper, that is tinned after the engraved decoration has been applied. The engravings usually cover the whole exterior with a dense decor of tendrils, cartouches and a band with inscriptions of religious invocations (often invocations to the shii imams). The object at hand shows a scarcer decoration: a band of textured honeycomb decor around the middle of the body. The bowl rests on a very short foot. Unusual for an object from the Islamic lands to be used as a wine bowl, the sufis, as Islamic mystics, attempted to get nearer to God in several ways. Therefore, the intoxicating properties of the wine were one method to catch a glimpse of the divine.

Considering its age, the bowl is in good condition, showing some usual wear. Due to use, the tinned surface is rubbed in places and shows some small scratches and minimal dents, especially at the rim. The diameter of the mouth is 18 cm, and the one of the foot is 14 cm. The height of the bowl is 12 cm, its weight is about 1,15 kilograms.