Bird Bowl
Nishapur polychrome ware ceramic bowl, c900 AD. The bowl depicts a stylized bird, probably a peacock, with outstretched wings. The colours are derived from manganese, mustard and green pigments. Nishapur was the only place known to have produced such bowls. They were made by first covering the bowl with a yellow ground slip (undercoat). The polychrome decoration was then added on top of this slip and then finally a colourless lead glaze applied.