Tile with calligraphy

These two tiles [B60P2134.a-.b] are an excellent example of the artistry and complex designs that were applied to architectural decoration in the 1220s in Persia. The script was molded to give the tiles a threedimensional effect. Interlacing animal and vegetal forms, called arabesques, were painted in reserve with metallic glazes. Small details were added by means of scratching with a sharp instrument. The interplay between the raised script and the densely decorated background shows an Islamic taste for layering motifs and designs. The tiles together do not form a single phrase. Their inscriptions, written in Arabic in naskh script, read (from right to left): Servant of God and the weak one, King . . .