Fragment of a Timurid star tile

This fragment of ceramic star shows a design of vegetal patterns and flowers reserved against a deep cobalt ground.Tiles such as this are known to have been placed in combination with others on the west iwan in the Ghiyathiyya Madrasa in Khargird in the North west of Iran. This building was finished in 846/1442-43 and made for Ghiyath al-Din Pir Ahmad Khvafi, one of the viziers of the Timurid Shah Rukh.

For related examples, see: Islamic tiles by Venetia Porter, published by British Museum Press, London, 1995, p.69.

Central Asia, Timurid period, XVth century.