Silsal

"Knowledge: the beginning of it is bitter to taste, 

but the end is sweeter than honey."

~Samarkand proverb

No question about it! My favorite shop in Amman is Silsal. It is a ceramics gallery, where artists make (and, of course, sell) the most beautiful ceramics pieces you can imagine. And, if they don't have what you are looking for or if you would like something very unique, you can work with the artists to custom design your own piece.


In dramatic contrast to the numerous tourist and souvenir shops around Amman and throughout Jordan, Silsal makes one-of-a-kind art pieces. Most of the pieces reflect traditional Arabic and Islamic art influences, but some are quite modern and abstract. Here's what Silsal's website says:

Silsal is a place for artists and artisans, and for all those who value the unique. Housed in two 1950s villas [in] Jordan’s capital, Amman, we’ve been making inspiring stoneware art pieces for over twenty years now. As for our designs, many reflect hundreds of years of Oriental heritage.What we produce is more than a product – a Silsal ceramic is a work of art. It’s the result of diligent research, skill, and just that little bit of magic.

Several weeks after we discovered Silsal (and after we had already made several visits to the gallery), Charlie started reading Queen Noor's book "Leap of Faith." We were so excited when he came across this excerpt:

I . . . encouraged two creative and enterprising sisters, Rula and Reem Attallah, who started a handmade ceramics business in Amman using designs and calligraphy from ancient Middle Eastern civilizations and Islamic dynasties.  We gave their beautiful glazed pieces, many painted with base-relief imagery, as personal and official gifts with great pride. One of my favorites from Silsal Ceramics was--and is--the "Health, Happiness, and Good Fortune" bowl, which uses the unique Islamic art form of Arabic script to promise blessings on its owner.  Another favorite . . . bears the very delicate lettering of an eleventh-century Samarkand proverb that translates to "Knowledge: the beginning of it is bitter to taste, but the end is sweeter than honey."

Imagine how smug we felt to have been validated by Queen Noor! We had come across Silsal before reading Queen Noor's book and we had the same reaction to the beautiful pieces that she did.  Indeed, two of our favorites were the ones she mentioned. The "knowledge plate," as we call it, immediately drew our attention and instantly became our favorite piece the first time we visited Silsal. (I say "our" because all four of us had the same reaction to the piece.) The one on display was huge--45 centimeters; it was stunning and dramatic due to its size, yet very elegant due to its simplicity. And, we really liked the message (it reminded me of law school!). It is inspired by a piece that is in the permanent collection at the Louvre, and the Silsal artists make the plate in many different color combinations.

Here are a couple examples of Silsal's knowledge plate:

And, this one is the original in the Louvre's collection:

So, if you are ever in Amman, don't miss Silsal, and if you aren't in Amman, visit Silsal online!