Beaker with flying birds

In terms of shape, this is the largest known cylindrical piece with a flaring top made in enamelled and gilded glass from the Mamluk era (1250-1517). Its size suggests it was either used for ceremonial purposes or was a valuable gift, while the unusual decoration depicts mythical and real birds.
The upper part shows a phoenix with coloured plumage and a vulture, both flying above a hoopoe, a bird that is traditionally associated to royalty in the Middle East, as well as a pair of geese, a parrot and a hawk attacking a duck. The lower part has images of a magpie and a ground fowl. This group of birds is depicted all around the vase in a completely free style, the different positioning clearly suggesting a hierarchy that is dominated by the phoenix.
The enamelled and gilded glass technique that made Syrian craftsmen famous is considered to be one of Islam’s main contributions to the art of glass.