The Samanid rulers were great art patrons and they turned Bukhara and Samarkand in Transoxiana into famous cultural centres. This domed square displays one of the earliest and most spectacular uses of brick in Iranian architectural decoration.
Brick patterns appear inside and outside the building.
The most complete documentation of Samanid art is to be found in its ceramics, and during the 9 th century, the wares of Transoxiana were very popular throughout the eastern provinces of Persia. This bowl is one of a group produced in Samanid times. The decoration of these bowls and plates is considered the finest adaptation of Arabic script to pottery. On the other hand, Khorasan pottery of the Samanid period, known primarily from material excavated at Nishapur, did not eliminate the human form, and there are examples of human figures against backgrounds abounding in animals, flowers and inscriptions. A hunting scene with a distant echo of Sassanian majesty.