iTopSpin

My latest acquisition is a large ceramic spinning top from Mesopotamia, from the banks of the Tigris river, currently Baghdad region.



From the inscriptions it was dated to the middle of the ḥarb al-ʿirāq. It has Arabic writing from the Quran all around the main panel.

I think it's beautiful, but unfortunately at some time it broke in many pieces and it was glued back together.

I want your opinion:
1- Should I try to do a better restoration? I think the pieces could be better aligned. But that would mean debonding the panels if possible or perhaps re-breaking them. In addition, I'm tempted to fill the gaps and painting it.
2- I hate to have a top that has never spun. This top was surely only decorative, but still, my policy is that every top should spin at least once. Of course, I would take a lot of precautions.
What do you think?

So, how old is this top?

The shape looks very modern to me. I mean, is it not basically the same shape as a S8 Giulia?

Your questions:
1. No, I think you should not try to better the restoration. Also don't fill the gaps and don't paint it, it would change the historic piece to much without any real reason as I see it.

2. I think you should not try to spin it so fast that it can stand by itself. It would be too dangerous, especially if some pieces are just glued together. My experience is, that we tend to underestimate those centrifugal forces. They sometimes violently and unexpectedly rip things apart even though they are "only fictional forces" in the proper frame of reference.

ta0 wrote: Mon Sep 22, 2025 10:05 am Should I try to do a better restoration? I think the pieces could be better aligned.

If the top is very old and valuable, I would just try, if not difficult, to improve the alignment of the pieces, where needed, and nothing else.
If the top has not great value, I would feel more free to do as I would like more, like filling gaps and painting, and maybe trying to play with it, if it seems possible.

Thanks Ortwin and Iacopo for taking time to answer my questions. I now owe you the full story . . .

I got this top on Ebay, where it was listed as Wooden Persian Art and I was the only bidder.
I opened the box late at night and my brain must have been tired because I didn't realize it was not made of wood like the listing said, but clay. It's painted to look like wood, but the tip and specially the flat thin crown should have made me realize it wasn't. I was extremely happy with the top and thought it would display great. And I was even happier when I found that it was signed and dated: 2008, Nameer, Baghdad.

Unfortunately, before going to sleep I decided to try to boomerang it. The top looked somewhat fragile, so I took some precautions, but if I had known it was made of ceramic (baked clay I think) I would have been much more careful. Well, I didn't quite catch the boomerang, it fell on the pad I had put on the floor and didn't break, but then it rolled towards the wall and when it hit the base of a bookshelf it literally exploded. I don't usually swear, but this was an exception. It must have broken in about 50 pieces plus small chips and dust.

It took me 5 hours the next day to put it back together using super glue. This was a mistake, as any small error in angles accumulates when going around the top and then things don't match. I should have used temporary glue in order to make adjustments. Anyways, my consolation is that I solved a 3D puzzle.

That's a beautiful item however even if the expression Mesopotamia refers to ancient times
I doubt its very very old
in fact Mésopotamia covers several states of today : part of Turkey Iraq Iran Syria ...
it might well be a decorative object in which case you could achieve all the modding process to make it spin

inch allah

jim

ah ah ah !
i wrote my message before reading yours !
there hard times for a spinner/sinner



Jim

ta0 wrote: Tue Sep 23, 2025 12:41 am It took me 5 hours the next day to put it back together using super glue.

If needed, there is a solvent, from Loctite, (called "Scollatutto" here in Italy), that can dissolve the super glue, even if I am not sure that it can penetrate deep enough into the cracks. It might be simpler to fill the gaps, sand everything flush and paint.

For me it's not a spinning top, it's a container used to burn incense and also scented woods.They are quite common in African countries and also in the Mesopotamian area of Iraq, Afghanistan,Syria .
I would include this piece in the "Spinning Top in disguise" collection.I have several pieces in my collection.
I know collectors like Judith Schulz from Wisconsin with this kind of collection.
If it's a spinning top, you've got a real bargain., unique and rare , but I highly doubt it.
For me, don't do anything else, leave it like this, you've already done a lot rebuilding it.

Here are some photos of containers like spinning top

Wow! Thanks Gianni!
There is not doubt that my piece was done by the same craftsmen that make those containers.
Although my piece doesn't have a lid or handles and it's open at the bottom, and the shape is much more similar to a throw top, I would agree that most likely it's not intended to represent a spinning top, but just some art piece inspired by those containers. In a way I feel better if I broke something that was not a top.

It think I will eventually realign the pieces, throw a boomerang and, if it survives, do some cosmetic retouches. Then I will display it with my top collection because, after a boomerang, it would effectively be a top!

When I buy a top for my collection, I look at play value or/and if it has a story to tell. Well, this had play value as a 3D puzzle and it sure has a story to tell.