Alhambra vases
- Scope note
- Refers to large wing-handled lusterware vases found at the medieval Islamic palace of Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Averaging 125 cm in height, they are the largest lusterware pots ever made. They were probably produced in the coastal town of Málaga. These amphora-shaped vessels fall into two stylistic groups. Vases of the first group, dating to the late 13th and early 14th centuries, are more bulbous in shape and have short necks, monochrome luster, and bold, angular inscriptions. Vases of the second group, dating to the late 14th and early 15th centuries, are more elongated and are decorated in cobalt blue and gilding; they also have less conspicuous inscriptions. As they are unstable, they would have been displayed on tripods or set into holes in the floor.
- Date of creation: 29-Apr-2024
Accepted term: 29-Apr-2024