Fawn bowl

Nº inv.: CE1/02858

The Muslims introduced glazing as a new ceramic technique to the Iberian Peninsula. Glazing is the coating of a ceramic piece in a layer of vitreous varnish composed of lead, which melts after firing, creating a crystalline appearance. In this example, a layer of lead glaze has been applied followed by a tin glaze (tin varnish), creating a white opaque layer on top of which the decorative motif is painted. This piece has been made using copper oxide (green) and manganese (brown or blackish). The decoration depicts a spotted fawn holding two stems in its mouth.

Luxury tableware was first produced in Andalucía in the Caliphate cities of Medina Azahara (Cordoba) and Medina Elvira (Granada). This piece was taken from an unauthorised excavation in the Valencia region and is likely to have come from Medina Azahara, although its exact origin is uncertain.

On display in the Sala de ceramica hispanomusulmana (Hispano-Muslim Ceramics Room), second floor.