Mina'i Ware

A Reassessment and Comprehensive Study of Iranian Polychrome Overglaze Wares through Sherds

McClary, Richard P.

Mina’i, or polychrome overglaze, ware was made in Iran between the late 12th and the early 13th centuries. However, most pieces in museums have in fact been rebuilt, often from pieces of multiple different vessels with extensive plaster fill and modern overpaint. Only by closely examining unrestored archaeological sherds – genuine fragments of pots – can we build an authentic picture of what mina’i ware actually looked like.