A band of ten horsemen, separated by birds, rings the central group of planets. Instead of including the fixed stars, or constellations, the painter of the bowl placed one large and two small gold circles, representing stars, between the heads of each planet and six small stars around the sun. Beyond the seventh sphere is an eighth containing the constellations, including the twelve signs of the zodiac. Islamic astronomers believed that each planet orbited the earth in graphic terms their circuits formed seven concentric circles, with the moon creating the innermost and Saturn the outermost circles based on their distance from the earth. Moving clockwise from the top right are Mars, holding a severed head and a sword Mercury, the scribe, seated crosslegged with a pen in his right hand and scroll in his left Venus, seated on a throne or chair and playing the lute the moon, a female figure with a crescent moon around her head Saturn, holding a sickle in each hand and Jupiter, on a thronelike seat, holding something resembling a chain. In the center is the sun surrounded by the personifications of six planets. Bowl with Courtly and Astrological Motifs The finely painted figures and decoration on the interior of this bowl combine the imagery of the courtly cycle and astronomy.
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