Eight-Pointed Star Tile with a Gazelle
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Object Label
In antiquity this container held a black eye paint called kohl. The piece was closed in an unusual manner. A vertical groove runs through the edge of lid and along the side of the tube. When the applicator was inserted in the groove, it prevented the lid from pivoting, effectively sealing the container.
Caption
Eight-Pointed Star Tile with a Gazelle, 13th–14th century. Ceramic; fritware, painted in luster and blue over an opaque white glaze, 8 1/4 x 3/8 x 8 1/4 in. (21 x 1 x 21 cm) mount: 8 1/4 × 8 1/4 × 3/4 in. (21 × 21 × 1.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc., 86.227.71. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Collection
Collection
Title
Eight-Pointed Star Tile with a Gazelle
Date
13th–14th century
Period
Ilkhanid Period
Medium
Ceramic; fritware, painted in luster and blue over an opaque white glaze
Classification
Dimensions
8 1/4 x 3/8 x 8 1/4 in. (21 x 1 x 21 cm) mount: 8 1/4 × 8 1/4 × 3/4 in. (21 × 21 × 1.9 cm)
Inscriptions
In Persian, اي رأي تو صحراي أمل پیمودن تا چنـــد بـــر آفتاب گـــل انـدودن گر در دهن شیر شوي بهر طمع آخر نه شکار گور خواهي بودن (This Ruba`i also appears on many other tiles in different museums, one published by Abdullah Ghouchani in " Persian Poems on the Luster Tiles of Takht-I Suleiman".) دي روي تو از لطافت آینۀ روح خواهم که قدمهای خیالت بصبوح در دیده نهم ولي از تیـر مـژه ام ترسم که شود پاي خیالت مجروح (This Ruba`i is from Awhad al-Din Kermani and Appears in his Divan.) في آخر رجب [At the end of [the month] Rajab.] Inscription read by Abdullah Ghouchani. Ay ray-I tu sahra-yi amal paymudan Ta chand bar aftab gil andudan? Gar dar dahan-I sher shavi bahr-I tama` akhir na shikar-I gor khwahi budan? [You have in mind to traverse the field of hope. How long will you besmear the sun with mud? If you go greedily into the mouth of the lion, In the end will you not fall prey to the grave?] Ay roy-I tu az litafat ayina-I ruh Khwaham ki qadamha-yi khayalat ba-sabuh Dar dida kasham vali az tir-I muzha-am Tarsam ki shaved pay-I khayalat majruh. [Your face is so delicate it is a mirror of the spirit. I desire to attract the steps of your image into my eyes with a morning drink, But I fear your image's feet will be wounded By the arrows of my eyelashes.]
Credit Line
Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc.
Accession Number
86.227.71
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