The Art And Architecture of Islamic Cairo

above: Brass basin incised and inlaid with silver (Réunion des Musées Nationaux).
168 The Art and Architecture of Islamic Cairo
replaced ceramics as one of the most important art forms during
the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods. Luxury items of metalwork in
the Middle East have a long history and continuity of design
going back to Sassanian times. By the thirteenth century the art
of inlaid metalwork had reached a remarkable degree of refinement
and sophistication in Persia and Mesopotamia. Mosul in
particular became a renowned centre of production and there is a
genre of inlaid metalwork described as ‘Mosul’ ware. Although
these works are clearly inscribed by craftsmen from Mosul, very
few can be positively identified as being made in that city. Works
from Mosul were exported to the Ayyubid courts and the potential
of Ayyubid patronage lured a number of distinguished craftsmen
to settle in Damascus.
One very important item of ‘Mosul’ ware made in Syria is a
brass basin, incised and inlaid with silver in the Louvre Museum,
Paris (1238–40). This basin, which was probably used for washing
hands during meals, was made for Sultan al-Adil II by a renowned
craftsman, Ahmad ibn Umar al-Dhaki of Mosul. The inscription,
with its long list of honorific titles, is typical of many court items
and is worth, in this instance, quoting in full.