Fatimid-inspired Clay Bowl

A decorative object inspired by the ornate ‘olla (ceramic water bottle) filters, also referred to as a shubbak (window). It depicts three rabbits tied together by their ears forming a triangle. Many examples of the shubbak can be found at the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo. This piece was created at the Fustat Traditional Ceramics Centre and is reminiscent of Fustat, a medieval city founded in 641 CE by Amr ibn al-‘As, the Arab general who established the first Egyptian capital under Muslim rule. Today, the ancient city lies in ruins, but next to it, a bustling community of modern-day fakharin (potters) and ceramicists is reviving an ancient art.

For more, see Iman R. Abdulfattah's article 'Fustat Fakharin' from Rawi magazine’s Issue 1 available online (link in details).