Pearls of Wisdom: The Arts of Islam at the University of Michigan

Oil lamps made in Fustat (medieval Cairo) during the Mamluk period are generally simpler in form and cruder in design than their predecessors. This small turquoise-glazed lamp is essentially a wheel-thrown saucer that is pinched to form a spout. It has a central chamber for oil, and its simple handle is tucked within the cavity. This type of lamp could be made quickly and easily, unlike the molded and wheel-thrown pieces, which required greater skills to produce and assemble.

Bibliography: Kubiak 1970, 15–16, fig. 15.