The heatwave in the UK this week got me thinking about how people kept cool in 19th-century Iran. There's one really interesting type of vessel which had a role in this, so here's a quick thread on ice cold drinks in pre-refrigerator Qajar Iran... [1]

The key thing about this type of ewer is that it has a cylindrical internal container, made of metal, which would be filled with ice, to chill the liquid around it, without contaminating it. The set up can be seen really neatly in the x-ray here. (This is V&A 555-1878) [2]

The ice would be added through the mouth of the ewer, while the liquid would be poured in through a small hole at the top of the handle, which is hollow. The external fittings here (spout, lid, & handle) are all silver; the ice container is copper alloy. [3]

But there's more. The body of the ewer is a porcelain vase, made in China during the Kangxi period (1662-1722). It was imported into Iran, probably in the 18th century. You can see here that it's very delicately decorated with gilding. The fittings are 19th-century. [4]

Here is another example of this type with a re-purposed Chinese vase - this one porcelain, of the blue-and-white kind, from the late-17th century. Here, all the fittings (again 19th-century) are copper alloy, and you can see that hole in the handle again. (V&A 476-1876) [5]

While this one also has blue-on-white decoration, it's not Chinese, but was produced in Iran in the 17th century, in a style which references Chinese ceramics. I love the depiction of the guy drinking. (V&A 468-1874) [6]

I should also note that this type does have a Safavid precedent, produced in the monochrome style. These worked in much the same way, with the ice going in through the neck, and the liquid being poured in through a hole in the top of the handle. (V&A 2643-1876 & 614-1889) [7]

Back to the 19th-century, you might have noticed that the metal fittings bear inscriptions too. Many of these are religious in content, which suggests that these ewers were used for the pious distribution of chilled water. The main inscription here is the Nad-i ʿAli. [8]

In the Shiʿi context, the distribution of water during religious gatherings often references the acts of ʿAbbas ibn ʿAli, also known as Abu'l-Fazl, during the Battle of Karbalaʾ. (V&A ME.32-2011) [9]

There is more to be said but I'll sum up now - through this one type of vessel, we can explore many things, like the everyday life of religion, re-purposing of ceramics, & import & referencing of Chinese ceramics. And all feel a little bit cooler too. [End] [& all images are V&A]