More fragile than ceramics, Iranian-made glassware was widely admired across Asia and was a rarity prized in China, Japan, and Korea. During the 10th century, glass vessels from Nishapur, an important city on the Silk Road, traveled more than 3,200 miles to places in Inner Mongolia and eastern China, where examples have been recovered from royal tombs and Buddhist temple crypts. A bowl similar to this one was excavated from Nisahpur in 1937 and dated to the 10th or 11th century, a discovery that has allowed BMA staff to more securely date this bowl.