Large bowl with Kufic and Palmette motifs, 10th century, 5 3/16 x 12 7/8 x 12 7/8 in. (13.18 x 32.7 x 32.7 cm), Earthenware with a white slip ground under a clear glaze with red, dark brown, olive and gold slip-painted decor, Iran or Uzbekistan, Samanid dynasty (819-999 CE), Notable for its size, this steep bowl features inner walls with leaf-shaped palmettes united by a narrow, highly abstract mock-Kufic inscription. Two bands of Kufic script in gold appear opposite each other on the rim. Small brown and reddish-brown roundels are positioned between the palmettes and the gold inscriptions animating the overall design.