Database: Table Manners

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Beaker in Colorless Glass with Engraved Decoration / 9th century, Syria, Iraq or Iran

Sharing meals and drinks was an essential part of life at court. For hosts, it was a way to display their generosity; for guests, to entertain a potential patron an enjoy a free meal. Therefor, displaying good table manners was supremely important for all as a way to demonstrate their social status and sophistication.

In his Kitab al-Bukhala (Book of Misers), al-Jahiz uses short anecdotes to instruct the reader in proper etiquette. At the time, a typical feast at the court or in the house of a rich Baghdadi was held in a reception room where guests socialized, sang, and drank until dinner was served. Everyone then ate from a communal bowl, pot, or large tray set on the floor or on a low table. Elegant glassware, like this cup whose inscription offers God's blessings to its owner, was a feature of such feasts.

During the meal, one should show patience and restraint in his appetite or risk being known as a pot-picker (one who picks from the pot before it is served) or a fast-pitcher (one who stuffs his mouth with bean stew, parsley broth and meatballs before swallowing it all at once). Exhibiting selfish or disgusting behavior, such as licking one's fingers and then dipping them in the communal sauce, was a major faux pas.