This item has been added to the Database within the Explore Islamic Art Collections project. Information is available in:English, Arabic.

Name of Object:

Lamp

Location:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Holding Museum:

The David Collection

 About The David Collection, Copenhagen

Date of Object:

Hegira 4th century / AD 10th century

Museum Inventory Number:

Inv.no. 17/1970

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Openwork sheet brass

Period / Dynasty:

Abbasid

Provenance:

Iraq or Iran

Description:

This mosque lamp is one of the oldest extant metal lamps in the Islamic world. Older lamps of silver and gold existed, but they were melted down long ago. A glass bowl held the wick and oil.
The lamp’s decoration consists of an openwork, scale-like pattern surrounding a text from the Koran written in monumental Kufi calligraphy decorated with foliage.

Citation of this web page:

 "Lamp" in Explore Islamic Art Collections. Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;dn;Mus21;3;en


MWNF Working Number: DN 03