Samanid cup with calligraphic decoration, eastern Iran, 10th centurySmall truncated cone-shaped cup with a slightly carinated body resting on a small circular foot, made of clay ceramic painted with brown slip on a beige slip under a transparent glaze with a calligraphic frieze in floreate kufic script in the centre, with a brown border underlining the lip. Diameter : 15.5 cm ; height : 6.8 cm . A Samanid bowl with a floriated kufic inscription, Eastern Iran, 10th century