
Made by potters in Iran, this fine white bowl imitates ceramics from Song period China (960-1280). The bowl's shape, light incisions, moulding, and vegetal motifs are inspired by finely thrown Chinese Dingware, pointing to international trade markets and the vogue for Chinese ceramics. Iranian potters used a recipe derived from ancient Egyptian ceramic traditions, which combined ground quartz, white clay, and ground glaze to make a lightweight stone paste that allowed for thinner walls than slip-covered earthenware.