Lamp
Unknown Artist
7th–8th century
Medium
Earthenware; molded
Dimensions
H. 1 15/16 in. (4.9 cm) W. 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm) D. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Miriam Schaar Schloessinger, 1961
Accession Number
61.150.2
Art Historical Context
This delicate earthenware lamp, crafted in the 7th–8th century during the early Islamic period, the practical artistry of everyday objects in the burgeoning Islamic world. Measuring just 1 15/16 inches high, 7 3/4 inches wide, and 1/2 inches deep, compact form suggests it was designed for oil burning, providing illumination in homes, mosques, or markets. As a molded ceramic, it reflects innovative techniques that allowed artisans to create uniform shapes efficiently, often with subtle relief decorations suited to low-fired earthenware's earthy tones. In the context of Islamic art, such lamps...