Incense burner or pomander in the form of a lynx. Iran, late 12th - early 13th century. MTW1525. The Khalili collections © 2011 Khalili Family Trust

This lynx seems to be pawing the ground, as if about to jump up and catch its prey on the wing, as is the habit of lynxes. The lines at the eyes indicate that the animal is smiling. The impracticality of using the tail as a handle and the inconvenience of replenishing the incense when it was full of hot coals make it more probable that this vessel was a pomander, filled with a paste of ambergris and spices to scent the air, and only requiring occasional refilling.