Bottle with four-lobed body

This bottle is a curious combination of forms. What starts as a cup-mouthed bottle with a graceful long neck (a common shape in Persian ceramics) divides into a four-lobed body, then ends in a narrow base. The cup at the top of the neck here is adorned with an inscription bestowing blessings and happiness upon its owner.

Typically, cup-mouthed vessels are designed with practicality in mind: the wide cup is convenient for refills, and the long narrow neck makes it comfortable to hold and prevents the user from pouring the bottle’s contents too quickly. The four-lobed body of this example appears to be unique, with no prototype in ceramic or metalwork. Perhaps not the most functional vessel, this bottle demonstrates the outer limits of creativity of a medieval Persian potter.