My beautiful ewer, pleasant and elegant, In the world of today who can find the like? Everyone who sees it says, “It is very beautiful.” Glance at the ewer, a spirit comes to life out of it, And this is living water that flows from it. Each stream which flows from it into the hand Gives each hour new pleasure. Seven heavenly bodies, however proud they may be, Are protection for the one who works so. Let kindness come down on the one who makes such a ewer, Who wastes gold and silver and so decorates it. Let happiness come to him if he gives the ewer to a friend. Let trouble come if he surrenders it to an enemy.
                                  
                                         

The repousse and inlaid decoration transform a base metal object into a glittering luxury vessel. The parakeets show particular skill and must have been worked from inside the ewer using a snarling iron. The inlaid decoration features medallions containing images of the planets each with the sign of the zodiac. Visible here are the moon in Cancer (the Crab) and Mercury in Gemini (the twins). The human-headed inscription contains blessings.

 Detail brass ewer