Islamic

Canteen 

Episodes From the LIfe of Christ

Syria 1240-1250 

During the 11th, 12th, and 13th Centuries a lot of Christians traveled to Islamic countries, especially to the Christian holy land, in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The Christians came as pilgrimages or as Crusaders. Many of them returned to their home lands with mementos of their journey, some wealthy individuals commissioned local Muslim artists to produce custom made pieces for them. 

This unique brass canteen decorated with scenes of the life of Christ appears to be the work of a 13th century metalsmith. The canteen is a luxurious version of the "pilgrim flasks" that Christian visitors to the Holy Land often brought back to Europe. On the flask their lie inscriptions written in Hebrew. They promise eternal glory, secure life, perfect posterity, and increasing good luck to the canteen's owner (all beautiful gifts that are allotted by the Holy God of Israel whom it depicts). 

In the center of the canteen is the Madonna and Christ child enthroned. The three panels on it depict New Testament events. The first being the scene of the nativity. The next being the presentation in the temple. Lastly the prophetic entry into Jerusalem by the Savior,Lord, and KIng. These special and specific scenes could have been chosen by the patron being places of visit while on the trip. Most scholars believe that the artist used Syrian Christian manuscripts as the course for the canteen's Christian iconography. Many of the details are paralleled to the Islamic metalwork inscribed with names of Muslim patrons. The piece in its entirety shows the artistic interactions between the Christians and the Muslims in 13th Century Syria. 

The deity of this canteen is one so great that he who created the earth condescended down to this mortal state in saving the inhabitants of the world. He being the father of salvation, redemption, resurrection, and celestial glory.