Tis is a rare example of the Persian silversmith's work of the 11-12th centuries. There seems to be no other example in silver of a shallow saucer with cavetto, though the form is known in bronze. There is, however, a small silver bowl published by Smirnov (Argenterie Orientale, no. 41, pl. XXIX) with rounded sides and decorated with a kufic inscription inside below the rim and a central roundel pertaining an eagle attacking a duck. This last is treated like the bird in our saucer. Like ours the engraved decoration is on a niello ground. The naskhi inscription of ours, however, seems to be decorative rather than meaningful.