Fragmentary decorative plaque

The fragmentary plaque is carved in high relief allowing the decoration to stand in depth. Its main decoration consists of a vine scroll with five-lobed leaves, bunches of grapes with birds and a hare. A hole on the upper left side suggests that it was attached on to a larger object such as a piece of furniture. The ornamentation is strongly related to the decorative vocabulary of the late Umayyad architectural decoration such as the façade of the palace of Mshatta. From Syria or Egypt, 8th c. H 15 cm W 7cm (ΓΕ 10411)