An Abbasid or Fatimid lead-glazed splash ware bowl, Egypt or Near East, 9th-10th century

This bowl displays several of the characteristics of a group of pottery discussed by Philon from her examination of sherds at the Benaki Museum (Philon 1980, Chapter 2). These typifying features are the reddish body, dabbed decoration and a degree of pooling, indicating that some pieces were fired on their sides (Philon 1980, p.35, fig.76). The colours applied to the bowl, manganese and brown, often appear alongside mustard and green and are derived, as are many of the designs, from T'ang period pottery from China. Although this bowl might be termed 'Fayyumi', examples of this type of pottery have been found not only in Fayyum, but also in Fustat and Nubia.