This bronze mortar and pestle set, heavily cast and richly engraved, transforms a utilitarian object into a proclamation of prestige and knowledge. Its wide cylindrical form and weighty presence are balanced by a tapestry of inscriptions, vegetal ornament, and symbolic motifs that elevate grinding from necessity into ritual.
Calligraphic Inscriptions
Bands of Arabic calligraphy, alternating with vegetal tracery, proclaim royal praise:
Arabic:
"العز لمولانا السلطان الملك الناصر القائد المجاهد العالم العادل العامل الولي المولى المحارب المغوار الغازي القائد قايتباي"
Transliteration:
al-ʿizz li-mawlānā al-sulṭān al-malik al-nāṣir al-qāʾid al-mujāhid al-ʿālim al-ʿādil al-ʿāmil al-walī al-mawlā al-muḥārib al-mighwār al-ghāzī al-qāʾid Qāytbāy.
Translation:
“Glory to our lord, the Sultan al-Malik al-Nāṣir, the commander, the warrior in faith, the learned, the just, the diligent, the guardian, the master, the fighter, the conqueror, the leader Qāytbāy.”
The inscriptions would have invoked divine blessing over health, healing, and prosperity, merging function with sanctity.
Artistic Details
- Mortar Body: The wide cylindrical vessel is adorned with geometric interlace and calligraphic bands, binding symmetry with royal proclamation.
- Handles: Projecting handles take the form of stylized shells or floral bursts, both ornamental and functional.
- Pestle: The flared pestle is engraved with interwoven arabesques, calligraphy, and floral medallions, matching the vessel in artistry.
- Vegetal Ornament: Flowing vines and arabesques weave between inscriptions, filling the surface with motion and vitality.
- Surface Patina: Centuries of use have given the bronze a darkened patina, with highlights of golden copper emerging along the edges, lending warmth and gravitas.
Interpretation
This mortar and pestle transcend the utilitarian; they are symbols of prestige, refinement, and knowledge. Found in elite kitchens, apothecaries, or scholarly households, such objects embodied healing, nourishment, and wisdom. The inscriptions align the act of grinding herbs or food with ritual blessing, transforming daily sustenance into an extension of devotion and authority.
