A silver piece with an engraved ornament based on a lowly leg, zarf is a traditional stand for a coffee cup.
Coffee appeared in the Ottoman Empire in the second half of the 16th century, when the Turks conquered Yemen, rich in coffee plantations. The close ties between the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean Khanate led to popularity and wide usage of coffee in Crimean cities. Coffee is brewed strong and drunk from small ceramic cups, washed down with cold water. For cups without handles, special stands were used - zarf. In the 19th century, zarf were made of silver or copper using the techniques of casting, embossing, filigree, enamel and grain decorating, inserts of coral, glass, etc.
ru
