Examination and Analysis of designs on the Mosul Ewers (Case Studies: Ewer of Ahmad Zakki-ol-Naghash Mosuli, Ewer of Younes ibn Yousef Mouseli, Ewer of Ghasem ibn Ali Mosuli, Ewer of Ibrahim ibn Mavaliai Mosuli)

Ewers are among the most important metal artifacts in the Islamic art and civilization. The most magnificent examples of ewers can be seen during the 4th-7th Hijri centuries concurrent with Seljuk, Ilkhanate dynasties in Iran, built by the artists of Khorasan and Mosul metalworking schools. Taking advantage of available quality materials, innovative building techniques, delicate decorations, various themes (adopted from Sasanid and Seljuk dynasties), Mosul turned to one of the most famous centers of metalwork in the Islamic world in the 6th and specially in the 7th centuries. Among the metalwork of Mosul, jeweled ewers, in various shapes and sizes, are noteworthy some of which are kept now in the most prestigious art museums of the world. In the present study, four of these ewers have been examined and analyzed in terms of building techniques, themes and decorations applied. The results indicate that in terms of the building techniques, mainly metals and alloys such as copper, gold, silver, brass (alloy of copper and zinc) and gunmetal (an alloy of copper, tin and lead) have been used. Also, in terms of forming and casting methods, a wide variety of decorations such as lattice work, incrustation, bejeweled work and inlay (fixing gold, silver or copper pieces into another metal background) have been applied. Similarly, scenes of hunting, battleground, music, sports, women making up, royal and court life scenes, a king sitting on the throne cross-legged have been the most common themes applied in the ewers. The data were collected based on library and museum sources and the methodology was descriptive-analytic