WATER JUG

An ornate water jug given to Charlemagne in 801 by the Abbassid caliph of Baghdad, Heroun-al-Raschid, who later became legendary as the caliph of the Thousand and One Nights. Other gifts included were gems, fine plates of pure gold, rich embroidered ceremonial robes, delicately carved chessmen inivory, water clocks with refined mechanisms and rare animals - including a white elephant he named Abul Abbas.