Lid of an Incense Burner
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.Silks were woven in many designs. One widely popular type was a diaper pattern that used a latticelike organizational scheme with narrow intersecting diagonal bands to create rhomboid or square fields filled with various motifs.
The diaper pattern of lozenges framed with pearls resembles patterns on contemporary silks. The pearls are a hallmark of Roman, Byzantine, and Sasanian metalwork. The lid’s secure excavation provenance and dating provide a valuable connection between Islamic metalwork and the late antique tradition.
The diaper pattern of lozenges framed with pearls resembles patterns on contemporary silks. The pearls are a hallmark of Roman, Byzantine, and Sasanian metalwork. The lid’s secure excavation provenance and dating provide a valuable connection between Islamic metalwork and the late antique tradition.
Artwork Details
- Title: Lid of an Incense Burner
- Date: 8th century
- Geography: Made in Eastern Mediterranean, excavated at Umm al-Walid, Jordan
- Medium: Leaded bronze, cast, pierced, and engraved
- Dimensions: L: 3 9/16 in. (9 cm); w: 3 3/8 in. (8.5 cm)
- Classification: Metalwork
- Credit Line: Madaba Archaeological Museum, Jordan ( 667 )
- Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters