9th century flask

From the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, this small flask is thought to be of Egyptian or Iraqi origin in the late 9th or early 10th centuries.

This small rock crystal container is one of group of similar items shaped like a fish. The animal has a fin along its back and two deeply carved bands divide it into head, body and tail. The container has a horizontal hole drilled into the body from one end. This piece may have been used as a pot for a cosmetic such as kohl. Kohl was applied with a tiny rod that would have fitted into the hole.