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General
The beautiful
mansion housing glass wares and ceramics was first ordered to be built as
the personal residence of a politician named Ahmad Qavam in early 1920s.
The building was occupied by him as residence and office up to 1953 when
it was sold to the Egyptian embassy. At last, in 1976, it was converted
into a museum following some repairs and changes.
The objects
exhibited in this museum, which is also called Abgineh Museum, belong to a span of time beginning from pre-Islam
period up to the contemporary Iran.
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Different sections
of the museum
There is plenty of
exquisite plasterwork performed by Iranian masters on the interior walls
of the building. On the first floor, at the beginning of the visit to the
museum, there is a hall with a showcase in the ground at the entrance to
draw visitors? attention to a symbolic location of archaeological site
under excavation. On the walls, there can be seen maps and ancient regions
on the Iranian plateau as well as a very useful timetable of ancient
civilizations. The museum objects, in general, can be divided into five
categories each in a different hall:
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Enamel gallery:
The potteries in this collection consist of some samples of plain clay
vessels belonging to B.C period having angular and animal patterns. On
some artifacts, the early examples of glass glazes dating back to the 3rd
millennium B.C can be found. The collection of Chogha Zanbil temple
glass tubes as well as opaque perfume holders, ornaments and seals
exhibited belong to the 1st and 2nd millennia B.C.
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Crystal
gallery:
In this gallery, Achaemenian and Parthian period cut crystal vessels and
bottles are displayed for visitors. Various vessels of Sassanian and
post-Islam period are also added to this collection bearing molded,
applied, pressed and cut decorations.
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Nacre gallery:
The evolution of Sassanian period?s arts and techniques are observed
here. Some samples of 9th to 13th centuries A.D
are also exhibited in this gallery. In fact, the flourishing period of
glassware and pottery is presented in the showcases here.
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Gold gallery:
The artifacts presented in this gallery consist of the enameled and
luster inscribed vessels of the 10th to 13th
centuries. The inscriptions are generally of subjects like expressions,
good prayers and poems of Nezamy and Ferdosy. Patterns are mainly human
figures in various ceremonies and animals specially birds.
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Lapis-lazuli
galleries 1&2:
Following destructions imposed on the centers of glass and pottery
making in
Iran, Safavid king, Shah Abbas I, initiated the revival of these two
industries and enhanced it with Chinese and Italian artists helps. The
objects of these two galleries are the evidences for changes in the form
and decorations of glassware and pottery artifacts using lapis-lazuli
stones. Vases, sprinklers and ewers in lapis lazuli and light orange
colors are Shiraz and Esfehan products.
There is also some
crystal made vessels of the 18th and 19th centuries
from Europe
exhibited in a separate showcase. There is also a library in the north west
of the gardens surrounding the museum having approximately 3000 volumes of
books in Farsi and English on archaeology, history, arts, etc for students
and researchers.
Written By: Rahman
Mehraby |
