Cup with a Poem on Wine

Despite its austere design, this silver wine cup from the medieval Islamic period embodies a Persian drinking culture with deep roots in pre-Islamic Iran. Wine held ceremonial significance in Zoroastrianism— an Iranian religion originating in the mid-6th century BCE— as reflected in sacred texts like Menog-i Khrad (Spirit of Wisdom), which associates moderate wine consumption with enhanced awareness and intellect. Wine was also used in Zoroastrian liberation rituals as a symbolic substitute for blood. This challenges a reductive stereotype that wine or other alcohol was historically absent or harshly prohibited in Iranian society.

Although alcohol consumption has been illegal in Iran since 1979, and was subject to varying degrees of regulation after the advent of Islam, wine nevertheless retained lasting cultural significance. In fact, archaeological evidence from Hajji Firuz Tepe in northwestern Iran shows that the region was one of the earliest sites of wine production in the world, predating Islam by thousands of years. Produced in the 10th or 11th century under Buyid patronage, this cup reflects an era in which wine was still widely consumed in spite of Qur'anic prohibitions. Consuming food or drink from vessels made of gold or silver was also prohibited according to prophetic law, underscoring the gap between religious law and everyday practice.

Encircling the cup's top rim is an Arabic inscription in floriated Kufic script emphasizing the pleasures of drinking wine and intoxication. The verses come from a diwan, or collection of poems, by the Baghdadi satirical poet Ibn Sukkara al-Hashimi, written in the mujūn style—a genre of Abbasid-era poetry known for its hedonistic and indulgent themes. Such poetry, and its connection to wine, was largely linked to the elite. While nobles could enjoy these pleasures as a socially accepted privilege, lower-class drinkers were often stigmatized and confined to non-Muslim taverns. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, cups like this were used by nobles or high-ranking military officials, often purchased as part of luxurious tableware sets.