Mosque Lamp
1 of 5
Object Label
Enameled glass lamps like this hung from a mosque ceiling on chains. The illuminated glow of the lamp symbolized divine light and, by extension, the presence of God. The Mamluk period in Egypt and Syria produced some of the finest examples of such lamps, which were commissioned to illuminate the interiors of Mamluk mosques and charitable foundations. This is the most characteristic type, with a flared neck, a rounded body with six handles, and a wide foot. It is one of the few Mamluk mosque lamps, however, with its wick still intact.
Caption
Mosque Lamp, 13th–14th century. Colorless glass; blue, green, red, yellow, and white enamels; and gold; free blown, applied, enameled, and gilded; tooled on the pontil, includes base, now detached: 12 x 8 in. (30.5 x 20.3 cm) without base, now detached: 9 1/2 x 8 in. (24.1 x 20.3 cm) base (now detached): 2 1/2 x 4 in. (6.4 x 10.2 cm) mount: 9 1/2 × 8 × 8 in. (24.1 × 20.3 × 20.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of William H. Herriman, 21.484. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Collection
Collection
Title
Mosque Lamp
Date
13th–14th century
Dynasty
Mamluk
Period
Mamluk Period
Medium
Colorless glass; blue, green, red, yellow, and white enamels; and gold; free blown, applied, enameled, and gilded; tooled on the pontil
Classification
Dimensions
includes base, now detached: 12 x 8 in. (30.5 x 20.3 cm) without base, now detached: 9 1/2 x 8 in. (24.1 x 20.3 cm) base (now detached): 2 1/2 x 4 in. (6.4 x 10.2 cm) mount: 9 1/2 × 8 × 8 in. (24.1 × 20.3 × 20.3 cm)
Inscriptions
In Arabic in thuluth script, "العالم / "al-`aalim" / "the wise," repeated around body three times.
Credit Line
Bequest of William H. Herriman
Accession Number
21.484
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