Star-Shaped Tile with Phoenix

Phoenixes were common motifs of Ilkhanid ceramics and regularly featured on eight-pointed star tiles. This tile features a phoenix with outstretched wings and a sweeping tail reserved against a luster ground. This tile's decoration is similar to tiles depicting phoenixes made for the Ilkhanid palace known as Takht-i Sulaiman, which was constructed in the 1270s. While the exact provenance of this tile is uncertain, the use of such designs at Takht-i Sulaiman provides an approximate date for this piece. Modern-day excavations of Takht-i Sulaiman have revealed thousands of tile fragments, which were once used as lavish ornamentation for palace walls that must have gleamed when light reflected their brilliant luster.