Lot 143a, Auction 4/3/2026: 12th C. Byzantine Pottery Bowl – Sgraffito Bird Design

$390.00

In stock

Eastern Mediterranean, Byzantine Empire, ca. 12th century CE. A Byzantine pottery bowl centered with an incised sgraffito image of a bird, surrounded by a field of repeating V-shaped motifs and a circular border of tongue pattern along the interior rim. The composition, though softened, remains legible, preserving the quiet elegance of medieval ceramic design. The surface is heavily encrusted with marine deposits, suggesting the vessel was lost at sea, where prolonged submersion altered its appearance. Much of the original glaze has worn away, with only scattered traces remaining, offering glimpses of its once-glossy finish beneath the mineral accretions. The shallow, open form and incised decoration align with sgraffito wares produced across the Byzantine world, vessels that balanced utility with ornament. Here, the effects of the marine environment add a second layer of history, marking the bowl’s passage through both human use and the sea. Size: 9.3″ Diameter x 2″ H (23.6 cm x 5.1 cm)

Condition: Chips to rim as shown, as well as weathering and abrasions to surface. Otherwise, intact and very nice with liberal remains of sgraffito decoration and rich marine encrustations throughout. Small, trace remains of glaze in a few areas.

Provenance: private London, UK collection

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