Donor Carrie Pimm Cook describes the making of this bowl which she purchased in Damascus.

"In the ancient city of Damascus high wooden walls often surround a house and courtyard. On a side street was the sound of hammering on metal. The door in the wall was partly open. We peeked in.

There on the ground sat an Arab in his workshop.... Between the soles of his bare calloused feet he held THIS brass vase. He had already hammered it into shape. Now with a small hammer he was hitting a tool covered with fine sharp points, that lift little prongs on the brass. A paper design was on the ground beside him....

By the next morning our Arabian artist was hammering flexible wires of silver and copper into place on the sharp brass points. This also blunted the tips of nearby prongs. He could write his signature in silver wire.

The Moslem has many beautiful names of adoration for God besides Allah. Can you read them? This is THAT finished vase."