Ca. 800-900 AD. A bronze bottle featuring a piriform body, which is accented by rectangular-shaped plaques with repousse teardrop designs that add texture and visual interest to the surface of the bottle. The vessel stands on a splayed cylindrical foot, which provides stability and balance to the piece. The narrow neck of the bottle leads up to a tall funnel-shaped mouth, which is adorned with a band of protruding knobs that add a sense of dimensionality to the overall design. The foot and mouth of the bottle feature a register of an interlocking pattern. Bronze bottles such as this one were serving both functional and decorative purposes. They were used to store and transport liquids such as water, oil, and perfumes, as well as serving as luxurious display pieces in affluent households. For a similar, see The Keir Collection of Islamic Art on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art, Object Number: K.1.2014.522.Size: L:210mm / W:95mm ; 650gProvenance: Property of a London Islamic art specialist collector; previously in a collection formed since the 1980s.