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The Medieval World, C. 400–1300

Islamic Art

What is a mosque lamp?

Mosque lamps are oil lamps, most closely associated with the medieval period, and characterized by a bulbous middle and flared top. Often enameled or made of glass, they are extremely fragile but well cared for because the light of a mosque lamp was associated with the light of God. Many mosque lamps were commissioned by Mamluk sultans in Egypt during the thirteenth century and were inscribed with verses from the Qur’an.



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