The colour and shape of this large dish is an imitation of 14th-15th century Chinese celadon wares. Chinese celadon, or green-glazed wares, were highly prized in the Islamic world as they were reputed to shatter on contact with poison. Large dishes were a common type of ceramic ware produced for and in the Islamic world. This is because the dining style involves several people sharing food from a communal dish. The imitation of Chinese ceramics is a theme found throughout the history of Islamic ceramics, not only in terms of motifs but also in technology. It was however not blind imitation, for the Islamic potter would take inspiration from the Chinese prototypes and design something completely new and different. The influence was not one-sided as the use of cobalt and certain Islamic metalwork shapes have also influenced Chinese potters.
