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Source Description
This jug is one of the rare surviving Islamic vessels made entirely of precious metal. Its inscription bands contain Arabic poetry that translates, in part: "You are the image of the full moon at night, the first gleam of sun on the horizon of the morning. You are a sword in the times of war, a beneficent rain in times of peace . . . your sword cuts the necks of Buyid enemies in great quantities . . . Glory and prosperity to the just king Samsam al-Dawla . . . May God lengthen your reign!"
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
142441
label
Jug
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
142441
contentType
object
title
Jug
description
This jug is one of the rare surviving Islamic vessels made entirely of precious metal. Its inscription bands contain Arabic poetry that translates, in part: "You are the image of the full moon at night, the first gleam of sun on the horizon of the morning. You are a sword in the times of war, a beneficent rain in times of peace . . . your sword cuts the necks of Buyid enemies in great quantities . . . Glory and prosperity to the just king Samsam al-Dawla . . . May God lengthen your reign!"
date
late 900s
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q80042285
genreSpecific
Metalwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 12.5 x 10.2 cm (4 15/16 x 4 in.); Diameter of base: 7 cm (2 3/4 in.)
cul
Iran or Iraq, Baghdad, Buyid Period, reign of Samsam al-Dawla (985-998 AD)
accession
1966.22
Source extras
tec
gold with repoussé and chased and engraved decoration
tombstone
Jug, late 900s. Iran or Iraq, Baghdad, Buyid Period, reign of Samsam al-Dawla (985-998 AD). Gold with repoussé and chased and engraved decoration; overall: 12.5 x 10.2 cm (4 15/16 x 4 in.); diameter of base: 7 cm (2 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1966.22
collection
Islamic Art
inscriptions
inscription
The inscription bands contain Arabic poetry which translates, in part:
"You are the image of the full moon at night, the first gleam of sun on the horizon of the morning. You are a sword in the times of war, a beneficent rain in times of peace...your sword cuts the necks of Buyid enemies in great quantities...Glory and prosperity to the just king Samsam al-Dawla...May God lengthen your reign!"
sortorder
1
citations
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 208
citation
Lee, Sherman E. “Golden Anniversary Acquisitions: September 10 through October 16.” <em>The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art</em> 53, no. 7 (1966): 181–284.
page_number
Mentioned: no. 126, pp. 191 and 284; Reproduced: no. 126, p. 190
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 208
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 264
citation
Bloom, Jonathan M. “Facts and Fantasy in Buyid Art.” <em>Oriente Moderno</em> 23 (84), no. 2 (2004): 387–400.
page_number
Mentioned and Reproduced: pp. 387–400, fig. 6, p. 399
citation
Gertsman, Elina and Barbara H. Rosenwein. <em>The Middle Ages in 50 Objects</em>. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018.
page_number
Mentioned: pp. 122–125; Reproduced: p. 123
creditline
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 07:18:37.396000
sourceId
142441
dept
Islamic Art
coll
Islamic Art
med
gold with repoussé and chased and engraved decoration
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
dd26853dd9f2fdf9