Inkwell, stucco with glass liner

As in Abbasid Samarra, Nishapur’s buildings under the Samanids were decorated with stucco reliefs. Many types of decoration have been excavated in Nishapur, some of which are very closely related to those on this inkwell.

Its four sides have two different kinds of cast decorations in bold relief, repeated on the opposite side: the Arabic inscription in Kufi, al-mulk (royal power), and a symmetrical palmette motif.

The glass liner, which was cast in the stucco and had held the ink, is still intact.