Metalwares, often made of gold, silver, or copper alloys, have long been valued in Central Asia and the Islamic world. Bottles with a thin neck, globular body, and a short, raised foot were widely made in the eastern part of the Islamic world (the southwestern section of the Chaghadai khanate during Mongol rule) from the 9th through the 12th centuries. Roundels with images of birds, as found on the shoulder of this bottle, frequently decorate containers of this kind.

This particular bottle's sprinkler top and crown of birds are unique. The six stylized birds sitting on a protruding branch, their tails raised and heads turned backward, are especially captivating. The inlaid decoration suggests that it was probably made in the late twelfth century, shortly before the advent of the Mongols. Around the shoulder is a silver-inlay inscription, formed of abbreviated words, wishing the owner well.