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Vase

c. late 600s–early 700s

Central Asia (Sogdiana) or Tibet

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Medium
silver with gilded foil
Measurements
Overall: 22.9 cm (9 in.);
Weight: 380 g (13.4 oz.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1988.67.1
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

Lions were often seen as powerful protectors while phoenixes were associated with good fortune.

Description

Located amid the vast “silk roads” trade network, medieval Tibet was a place of dynamic cultural exchange. This decanter is evidence of such interactions. The vessel is part of the tableware used to hold wine during feasts. Tibetan elites adopted the tradition of consuming wine at social gatherings from their Iranian (Persian) contemporaries, whose wine banquets were lavish affairs with plentiful food and drink.
A bulbous silver and gilded foil vase features a long neck with a flared rim and a ridged foot. Raised designs decorate the surface, showing two birds facing each other above a central frame of fruit and leaves. Inside, a lion-like animal faces right with its mouth open. A band of leaf patterns encircles the base of the neck, and the silver body provides a cool backdrop for the gilded imagery.

Vase

c. late 600s–early 700s

Central Asia (Sogdiana) or Tibet

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