Islamic Oil lamp. 640 A.D.

Size:- 10x9 cm. 4x3.5 inch. 

There is a transition period from Byzantine to Islamic lamps. The decoration on lamps of this transition period changed from crosses, animals, human likenesses, birds, fish, etc., to plain linear, geometric, and raised-dot patterns.

The early Islamic lamps continued the traditions of Byzantine lamps. Decorations were initially a stylized form of bird, grain, tree, plant, or flower. Then they became entirely geometric or linear with raised dots.

In 9th-century Baghdad, (Rhazes) described the first kerosene lamp; he referred to it as the "naffatah" in his Kitab al-Asrar(Book of Secrets). 

In the transition period some lamps had Arabic writing. Then writing disappears until the Mamluk period (13th to 15th centuries AD).

This item comes with a certificate from The Israeli Antiquities Authority.