Bacini

Pottery vessels ranging in date from the 11th-15th centuries and found in northern Italy, especially in medieval churches. They were placed in walls of churches, over church doorways, and in church towers for decorative purposes. These Italian vessels were imported from the Byzantine and Arabic world but later Italian maiolicas were made as bacini. Bacini were probably also used in southern Italian, Greek, and western European churches. Some were painted and incised; some were monochromic, others had fantastic designs.

Pottery vessels that were placed for decorative purposes high in the walls of churches, over church doorways or in church towers. The best-known group occurs in northern Italy, where several hundred later medieval churches have such vessels, ranging in date from the 11th century to the 15th century. The Italian examples were imported from the Byzantine and Arabic world to begin with, but in the later medieval period north Italian maiolicas were regularly used as well. Bacini were probably also employed in southern Italian, Greek and western European churches, but little is known about these.

Pottery vessels ranging in date from the 11th to 15th centuries and found in northern Italy, especially in medieval churches. They were placed in walls of churches, over church doorways, and in church towers for decorative purposes. These Italian vessels were imported from the Byzantine and Arabic world, but later Italian majolicas were made as bacini. Bacini were probably also used in southern Italian, Greek, and western European churches. Some were painted and incised; some were monochromic, while others had fantastic designs.