KARACHI, Dec 9: An 800-year-old inscribed bronze mortar has been selected as the object of the month by the National Museum. A press release says: "The three most common metals used by Muslim artists are copper and its chief derivates, bronze and brass.

Bronze is an alloy of copper with zinc. These three metals have been sometimes used singly by Muslim artists, but more often two or more have been combined in one artwork. The contrast of colour provided by the use of two or more metals provided the artisan with greater possibilities for decorative patterning.

It makes intricacy and structure of the arabesque patterns more appreciated. "The Muslims because of their ascetic propensities dictated by religion rejected the use of gold and silver utensils. But in fast, gold and silver metal works have been used in all periods of Islamic history.

"The object selected for December 2004 is bronze mortar which had obviously been used for centuries as it has clear signs of it. The object bears an Arabic inscription on the neck, middle and at the bottom. "The inscription is archaic Thuluth and foliated kufic seems to range from Saltanut and Mamluk period (12th--13th century AD)."