Star-Shaped Tile
Unknown Artist
dated A.H. 661/1262–63 CE
Medium
Stonepaste; luster-painted on opaque white glaze
Dimensions
Max. H. (point to point) 12 9/16 in. (31.9 cm) W. 11/16 in. (1.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Tiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Accession Number
91.1.100
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite star-shaped tile, dated A.H. 661 (1262–63 CE), hails from the Islamic world during a golden age of ceramic innovation, likely produced in regions like Syria or Iran under Seljuk or early Mongol patronage. Measuring about 12½ inches from point to point, it exemplifies the architectural tiles that adorned mosques, madrasas, and palaces, forming intricate geometric patterns that evoked the cosmos and divine order. Its star form reflects the Islamic passion for symmetry and astronomy, where such motifs symbolized the heavens and eternity. Crafted from stonepaste—a composite of quar...