Ewer

Title: Ewer

Type: Vessel

Associated Religious Tradition: Islam

Origins

• Geography: Syria
• Date: June–July 1232

Physical Properties

• Material: Brass with silver inlay
• Dimensions: H × W × D: 36.7 × 21.3 × 21.3 cm (14 7/16 × 8 3/8 × 8 3/8 in)

Crediting Information

• Artist: Qasim ibn Ali
• Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection
• Credit Line: Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment
• Accession Number: F1955.22

Produced in Syria in 1232, this brass ewer was meant for both holding and pouring water. Since the birth of Islam in the arid lands of the Arabian Peninsula in the seventh century, water has played a vital role in the religious, cultural, and economic lives of Muslims. The Qur’an is full of references to water. According to chapter 11 verse 7, the heavens and earth were made in seven days and God’s “throne was upon the waters.” In another passage (21:30), the Qur’an maintains, “And We (i.e., God) created from water every living thing,” underscoring the importance of water in God’s creation of the universe. Water as rain, rivers, wells, and the sea are signs of God’s generosity toward humankind, especially in the landscape and climate of the birthplace of Islam; it also features prominently in descriptions of paradise. At the same time, water also serves as a sign of divine wrath, such as the Flood, which appears in the Qur’an (54:11).

One of the most important sources of water in Islam is the Zam ZamClose TooltipZam Zam[zahm zahm]a well in Mecca, believed to have divine origins and special medicinal properties. well, located in MeccaClose TooltipMecca[MEK-uh]Makka or Makkah [MAK-kuh] – the holiest site in Islam, located in the Hijaz region in the western part of present-day Saudi Arabia. The Ka’ba is located in Mecca. and believed to have heavenly origins and special medicinal properties. Of course, water has been also an integral element in ritual cleansing, called wudhuClose Tooltipwudhu[WOO-dhoo]purification ritual using water before prayer., which is the prerequisite for praying. The ritual begins by rinsing one’s hands, then face and mouth, and then proceeding to one’s limbs in preparation for daily prayers. This ewer may have been created and used for either religious ablution or for hand washing in a non-religious setting.

The elegant brass ewer is made from several parts—a body, a foot, a handle, and a neck—which have been carefully soldered together. Its original spout must have been damaged at some point and replaced with another one. Its surface is inlaid with silver, a technique that flourished across the Islamic world and was perfected in Syria by the mid-thirteenth century. The overall decoration consists of bands of inscriptions as well as intricate and abstract floral motifs that are set in medallions with pointed ends (ogives). To create the surface, the artist would cut the designs into the metal and then fill certain areas with strips of silver. Over time, some of the silver inlay has fallen out. While other ewers of this period were decorated with figures and could only be used in a secular setting, this vessel’s abstract surface decoration makes it also suitable for religious rituals.

The inscriptions around the foot and the base of the neck provide important information about the object. It names the artist, a certain Qasim ibn Ali, who trained in Syria with IbrahimClose TooltipIbrahim[ib-RAH-heem]Arabic name for the prophet Abraham., and who was from the city of Mosul in modern-day IraqClose TooltipIraq[E-rAq]a country in the Middle East., the most important center for inlaid metalwork. In addition, the inscription maintains that the ewer was completed in 1232. A second inscription around the neck suggests that it was made for Shihab al-Din Tughrul, the governor of Aleppo. It is believed the vessel was presented as a gift to Shihab al-Din when he retired from his governorship to pursue a life of religious devotion. In fact, the ewer may have been a gift from the powerful ruler of Mosul, Badr al-Din Lulu (reigned 1222–59), to mark the occasion.

While the brass and silver ewer is a product of the thirteenth century, Muslims today continue to perform ritual ablutions before prayers. In addition to using modern ewers, mosques provide communal sinks and public fountains. Muslims begin by washing their hands, rinsing their nose and mouth, then washing their face, ears, arms, hair, and feet. In doing so, they purify their mouth to speak the prayers to God; they purify their ears to hear God’s word; and they purify their bodies to stand and kneel in God’s presence.

1. What details do you notice as you look closely at this object? How many different and distinct patterns do you notice? What do you notice about the colors? What materials were used to make this object?
2. What details or parts of the ewer’s design are highlighted in silver? What do these embellishments suggest about the use and significance of this object?

1. Why is washing one’s hands, mouth, nose, face, ears, arms, and feet so important to the Muslim practice of prayer?
2. Are there any objects in your home that have ornate decoration?

Atil, Esin. Art of the Arab World. Freer Gallery of Art. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1975. No. 26.

Atil, Esin, W. T. Chase, and Paul Jett. Islamic Metalwork in the Freer Gallery of Art. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1985. No. 16.

Porter, Venetia, and Mariam Rosser-Owen, eds. Metalwork and Material Culture in the Islamic World: Art, Craft, and Text. London: I.B. Taurus, 2012. Pp. 11–21, 27.

Qur’anic citations are from quran.com.