Votive Oil Lamp c. 1200

Curator: Well, isn't this a captivating artifact! This is a votive oil lamp, crafted around the year 1200. It resides here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art and provides a glimpse into Islamic art from the medieval period. Notice the serene blue ceramic. Editor: Immediately, that calming blue tone is what strikes me. It's a surprisingly vibrant color, isn't it? Almost feels otherworldly. But the chipped areas suggest a very earthly, used object. The overall impression for me is of quiet contemplation—something functional turned sacred. Curator: It's quite special. As a functional object elevated through design and context, it shows how light was so important symbolically in the 12th century. Light equated with guidance and knowledge and these lamps were often found in religious settings, signifying enlightenment, not only illumination. Editor: So, beyond simply lighting up a space, it carried considerable social and religious weight? Where were lamps like these typically placed within a sacred space? Curator: Likely near altars or in spaces devoted to prayer, serving as both a physical source of light and a spiritual reminder. The oil, often derived from olives, held significance in both Christian and Islamic traditions. Consider how powerful this small object would have been within candle-lit ceremonies of the time, with architecture amplifying its cultural role. Editor: It is evocative, how the very simplicity in design serves the artwork, a spout opposite the handle balanced over a collecting dish, almost elemental in structure. How the color of the material adds to that sense. It conjures thoughts of devotion, but also about the labor invested in its creation, its firing, glazing, and distribution, as the cultural norms required its production. Curator: Absolutely, and the longevity! We're here in the 21st century still pondering this medieval lamp! To consider it would have witnessed significant historical moments in medieval Islamic life underscores its endurance and significance as a silent observer. It remains a conduit across centuries. Editor: What a lovely thought! This small blue lamp continues, even now, to shed light. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Curator: My pleasure. There are many more fascinating artefacts awaiting!