Ablution basin

Discovered in 1990 during digs in Rua de São João do Outeiro (Mouraria, parish of Arroios), this ablution basin was part of a mosque or an Islamic oratory and was used for the purification ritual observed that took place before prayer sessions, when devotees wash their hands, feet and faces.

On the rim, there is a discreet inscription in Arabic, which is repeated several times: Al-Mulk (title of surah 67 of the Koran). The elegance and sophistication of the basin suggest that it was produced for the upper classes in the Muslim community residing in Lisbon in the Late Middle Ages.