Marble Jar of Zayn al-Din Yahya Al-Ustadar

This large carved marble jar was used to store drinking water, intended for use at a Cairo mosque. 

The inscription on this jar states that it was an endowment by the amir Zain al‑Din Yahya al‑Ustadar, who served as steward and official during the reign of Sultan Jaqmaq (r. 1438–53) and later rulers of the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt.

Mamluk Sultanate

The Mamluk Sultanate (1250–1517) was a medieval state with its capital in Cairo, Egypt, which lasted until the Ottoman conquest of Egypt in 1517.

At its height, the sultanate represented the zenith of medieval Egyptian political, economic, and cultural glory in the Islamic Golden Age.

Mosque

A mosque is a place of worship for Muslims. Many mosques,  which originated on the Arabian Peninsula, have elaborate domes, minarets, and prayer halls in varying architectural styles.

Marble Jar of Zayn al-Din Yahya Al-Ustadar

• Title:              Marble Jar of Zayn al-Din Yahya Al-Ustadar
• Date:             1444
• Made in:        Egypt, Cairo
• Materials:      Marble
• Culture:         Mamluk
• Dimensions:  H: 30 in. (76.2 cm); D: 22 in. (55.9 cm); Wt: 290 lbs. (131.5 kg)
• Category:      Islamic Art
• Museum:      Metropolitan Museum of Art – MET

Arabic Proverbs, Quotes, and Sayings

• Arabic Proverbs, Quotes, and Sayings

The Silent Theology of Islamic Art

A Tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

MET Greek and Roman Art Collection

• Statue of a Kouros
• Amathus Sarcophagus
• Mycenaean Terracotta Female Figures

MET Egyptian Art Collection

• The Temple of Dendur
• The Sphinx of Hatshepsut
• William the Faience Hippopotamus

The revolutionary power of diverse thought

MET Ancient Near Eastern Art Collection

• Sumerian Standing Male Worshiper
• Head of a Beardless Royal Attendant – Eunuch
• Human-Headed Winged Bull (Lamassu)

MET Islamic Art Collection

• Blue Qur’an
• Marble Jar of Zayn al-Din Yahya Al-Ustadar
• The Damascus Room

MET Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas Collection

• Benin Ivory Mask
• African Face Mask – Kpeliye’e
• Sican Funerary Mask – Peru
• Ceremonial Axe – Papua New Guinea

Islamic Marble Jar

~~~

“If you search for the laws of harmony, you will find knowledge.”
– Egyptian Proverbs

~~~

Photo Credit: 1) JOM

Join – The JOM Membership Program

Sponsor a Masterpiece with YOUR NAME CHOICE for $5

• Twitter
• Facebook

Share this:

• Tweet
• 
• Email