Bowl with pierced decoration

By the 1400s, Persian ceramicists increasingly drew inspiration from Chinese porcelains. For example, they filled small holes in the rim of this bowl with glaze to produce a translucent effect.

During the Safavid dynasty (1501– 1722), high-quality ceramics were produced for sale in Europe and other Asian countries. This bowl belongs to a type called Gombroon ware, after the port from which they were shipped (modern-day Bandar ‘Abbas). The Dutch East India company had a trading station at Gombroon and these bowls were exported widely.

The raised knob in the center of the bowl is functional. With the tip of one’s middle finger on the underside of the knob and one’s thumb on the rim, the bowl is easy to hold in one hand.