A jug with an inscription around its middle, covered in gold and silver inlay, with a dragon for a handle. The inscription invokes the name of ‘Ali, the son-in-law of the prophet Muhammad. The writing itself is special: it is an example of Naskh, a specialized style of the Arabic alphabet, which allows for faster writing. Although that’s not something to be concerned about on a jug, one would think, since inlay is going to take a long time no matter the style.
Safavid Dynasty, Iran, circa late 1400s to early 1500s CE. Courtesy of the Met Museum.
