Tag Archives: Persian Art

Persian and Indian Playing Cards

Card games are amongst the most popular games in the world. Tracing the history of playing cards however is difficult, due to their perishable nature and ephemeral quality. It is believed that playing cards originated in China, later spreading westward … Continue reading

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The Universe in a Coffee Cup

Walking in the Islamic Middle East Gallery at the Ashmolean Museum, visitors may encounter a setĀ of objects of impressive finesse and intricacy (fig. 1). Comprising a lidded cup, saucer and spoon, this small gold enamelled coffee set is not only … Continue reading

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