kilga

Kilgas are functional objects that are characterized by their unique ornament. No two kilgas are alike, but many kilgas feature similar visual elements. They tend to echo architectural features that are distinct to buildings in Cairo. Most kilgas feature two carved arches, one on each side of the hollow cylinder or rectangle upon which the water basin sits. These smaller carved arches resemble the tricuspid arch, a distinct architectural feature associated with the Fatimid and Mamluk periods. These archways are generally accompanied by columns on either side and, in some cases, interlacing molding. Roughly fifteen surviving Kilgas also feature miniature muqarnas; parallels have been drawn between the muqarnas found on these kilgas and muqarnas on the Aqmar mosque. Another reference to local architecture found on kilgas are the zig-zagged panels resembling staircases carved into the walls of some kilgas; scholars have posited that this pattern is a reference to the Shadirvan or Salsabil, water features seen across the medieval Islamic world. Apart from their architectural references, many kilgas feature figural and animal imagery. Carved images of nude figures and guards can be seen placed on the corners or sides of the king’s base. The presence of these figures might imply that the Kilgas were intended for secular uses. In some cases, figures featured on kilgas show visible signs of attempts to strip the carvings or obliterate the figure’s faces. Kilgas also often feature animal imagery. Lions are consistently featured in kilga ornamentation, usually protruding from the king’s surface; lions are often portrayed in conjunction with water in Islamic architecture. Inscription on kilgas is rare but sometimes can be found wrapped around the body of the stand. These inscriptions usually do not provide details about the object but instead usually feature benedictory phrases written in kufic Arabic.

The use of kilgas was deeply connected to the Nile. Since Cairo is surrounded by desert, sources of water were in high demand and objects used to hold and store water were a necessity, and the annual flooding of the Nile determined the livelihood of the people living in Cairo. The Nilometer was created to measure the height of the water in the river. Kilgas were not used as portable objects as they were made of heavy stone and marble, but they were used to hold water once the water had traveled from the river to the city. While river jars and animal skins were used to transport water from the Nile to the people of Cairo, Kilgas were used to hold and store water.