Fragment of relief-cut rock crystal
Egypt; 10th-11th century
H: 7.8 cm
Inventory number 5/1987
Objects of rock crystal were made for the wealthiest members of Egyptian society: jars, beakers, flasks, gaming pieces, etc. They were often more costly versions of glass pieces produced for a less affluent clientele.
This fragment probably comes from a beaker. Below the rim is a decoration made up of elegant palmettes. Where there was no relief decoration, the beaker was only c. 1 mm thick, completely transparent, and an example of wheel cutting and polishing of the finest quality. There are no intact beakers of this type, but the shape was probably related to that of a Persian glass beaker (17/1964).
This fragment probably comes from a beaker. Below the rim is a decoration made up of elegant palmettes. Where there was no relief decoration, the beaker was only c. 1 mm thick, completely transparent, and an example of wheel cutting and polishing of the finest quality. There are no intact beakers of this type, but the shape was probably related to that of a Persian glass beaker (17/1964).
Published in
Published in
Kjeld von Folsach: Islamic art. The David Collection, Copenhagen 1990, cat.no. 260;
Kjeld von Folsach: Art from the World of Islam in The David Collection, Copenhagen 2001, cat.no. 367;
Marcus Pilz: “Beyond Fatimid: the iconography of medieval Islamic rock crystal vessels and the question of dating” in Cynthia Hahn og Avinoam Shalem (eds.): Seeking transparency: rock crystals across the medieval Mediterranean, Berlin 2020, p. 175 and pl.. 25b;
Kjeld von Folsach: Islamisk kunst. Davids Samling, København 1990, kat.nr. 260;
Kjeld von Folsach: Kunst fra islams verden i Davids Samling, København 2001, kat.nr. 367;
Marcus Pilz: “Beyond Fatimid: the iconography of medieval Islamic rock crystal vessels and the question of dating” i Cynthia Hahn og Avinoam Shalem (red.): Seeking transparency : rock crystals across the medieval Mediterranean, Berlin 2020, s. 175 og tav. 25b;
Marcus Pilz: Transparente Schätze : Der abbasidische und fatimidische Bergkristallschnitt und seine Werke, Darmstadt 2021, p. 218, T24;
Marcus Pilz: “Von Bagdad nach Paris. Bergkristallschnitt im mediterranen Kulturtransfer” in Manuela Beer (ed.): Magie Bergkristall, München 2022, Abb. 141, pp. 154-156;
Kjeld von Folsach: Art from the World of Islam in The David Collection, Copenhagen 2001, cat.no. 367;
Marcus Pilz: “Beyond Fatimid: the iconography of medieval Islamic rock crystal vessels and the question of dating” in Cynthia Hahn og Avinoam Shalem (eds.): Seeking transparency: rock crystals across the medieval Mediterranean, Berlin 2020, p. 175 and pl.. 25b;
Kjeld von Folsach: Islamisk kunst. Davids Samling, København 1990, kat.nr. 260;
Kjeld von Folsach: Kunst fra islams verden i Davids Samling, København 2001, kat.nr. 367;
Marcus Pilz: “Beyond Fatimid: the iconography of medieval Islamic rock crystal vessels and the question of dating” i Cynthia Hahn og Avinoam Shalem (red.): Seeking transparency : rock crystals across the medieval Mediterranean, Berlin 2020, s. 175 og tav. 25b;
Marcus Pilz: Transparente Schätze : Der abbasidische und fatimidische Bergkristallschnitt und seine Werke, Darmstadt 2021, p. 218, T24;
Marcus Pilz: “Von Bagdad nach Paris. Bergkristallschnitt im mediterranen Kulturtransfer” in Manuela Beer (ed.): Magie Bergkristall, München 2022, Abb. 141, pp. 154-156;
