One of the most typical and characteristic potteries found in Nishapur is this type of buff ware with underglaze painting in black, yellow, green, and sometimes brick red. The subjects depicted on this type of ware are either purely abstract motifs or decorative representations of human and animal figures, and particularly birds. The shape of the ewer shown here is not especially rare; a number of animal-headed ewers in monochrome glazed and unglazed ware are known.

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