Lamp

Art Historical Context

This elegant earthenware lamp, dating from the 2nd to 6th century, hails from the early centuries of what would become the Islamic world, reflecting the artistry of late antique traditions in regions like the eastern Mediterranean or Near East. Crafted by an unknown artist, it exemplifies everyday ceramics that bridged Roman, Byzantine, and emerging Islamic cultures. Displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Department, it entered the collection through the generous bequest of Edward C. in 1891. The lamp's molded construction—a technique involving pressing clay into reusable molds...