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Relief of a hawk attacking a duck

Relief of a hawk attacking a duck

11th–12th century
Object PlaceRayy, Iran
Medium/TechniqueStucco
DimensionsOverall: 31.2 x 36 x 3 cm (12 5/16 x 14 3/16 x 1 3/16 in.)
Credit LineUniversity Museum—M. F. A. Persian Expedition
Accession number35.915
On View
Not on view
ClassificationsSculpture
Collections
Description
A hawk strikes at the neck of a goose or duck in this compact but highly detailed relief, one of the great examples of medieval Islamic stucco. Wall revetments (facings) of stucco have a long history in the Middle East, going back to Sasanian times, but stylized geometric and vegetal motifs are the most common type of imagery. Ceramic and stucco figural representations are unique to the Seljuq period (1037 – 1194). Few surviving examples are as lively as this one. In its original context this relief was perhaps accompanied by others with related imagery, probably in a secular setting such as a palace. Excavation reports specify that it was found in the entrance hall of a building.
Provenance1934, excavated at Rayy (Cheshmeh Ali Tepe, in present-day Iran), by the University Museum-M.F.A. Persian Expedition; 1935, assigned to the MFA as part of the division of excavated objects. (Accession Date: June 6, 1935)