HvWO 020I

Two Omani pottery coffee pots / jugs

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Omani pottery. 2 coffee pots

Omani pottery. Two common Omani coffee pots with incised geometric decoration in the neck of the pot.

For detailed information on coffee making and drinking in Oman see Ref 2 Tribute to Oman. "Arabian folklore credits the discovery of coffee as a drink to a goatherd named Al Shadri.  He observed that this goats did not sleep after the leaves and berries of a particular bush. He tried the fruit and found  reduced fatigue  and gave him energy. He picked the berries and carried them  with him but over time , the dried out making it difficult to eat the fleshy pulp. To soften the berries he boiled them in water and coffee drinking began! "

Traditionally the coffee beans are roasted over the coals of a wood-fire. Two flat rocks were once used  for grinding and later the more familiar pestle and mortar were used. It is Cardamom (imported form Malabar)  that gives Omani Khawa its distinctive flavour.  Palm fibre is used as a coffee filter! Height 15 en 18 cm.antique Omani pottery

 

Arab name: Medlah / Dalla  (coffee is Khawa in Arabic)

Period: 1850-1950

Origin: Probably made in the town of Mahyah in Northern Oman. These type of coffee-pots are typically used by the Bedouin. Purchased in the Nizwa souq early 1980´s.

 References:
  1. Craft heritage of Oman Neil Richardson & Maria Dorr Part two p 502  illustr 433, 428 431 (modern pottery)
  2. A Tribute to Oman 24th National day 1994 (year of heritage) The Coffee connection.  p 71-74 (includes pictures of these pots and how coffee is made and drunk in Oman)
  3. British Museum has a similar item in their on-line collection number As2001,12.1 Height 19 cm Diameter: 13.5 centimetres (including handle) Coffee-jug; made of pottery; round base, tapering in at neck then flaring out slightly at rim, with spout on one side; handle attached on side opposite spout from rim to bottom of neck; neck etched with geometric designs
  4. Oman Faces and Places p 178 and p 179