This is an unusual example of a blanc de chine porcelain dish from the Dehua kilns in China, which is well known for its production of white porcelain. It is painted with Arabic inscriptions in red enamels and decorated in a style that resembles 'Swatow' wares from Zhangzhou, another area of ceramic production in Fujian province. There are several known examples of Zhangzhou dishes with similar designs, that is, with a large central medallion surrounded by eight smaller ones enclosing Arabic inscriptions painted in enamels. This dish was probably commissioned by an Indonesian buyer. Some scholars think that dishes with such a design were ordered by the Sultans of Aceh in northwest Sumatra. This artefact illustrates the wide appeal of Chinese porcelain and the many markets which the Fujian potters catered their products for.
