I could never be the sort of dealer who focuses on a very narrow field of objects; for me so much of the joy in doing this is discovering the existence of, and learning at least a little about, a wide range of beautiful and amazing things. And it always feels miraculous to me when I get to hold something ancient in my hands, and even more so to bring it home! This is a Persian terracotta oil lamp, c. 10th-12th century AD, with iridescent blue/turquoise glazing, like an otherworldly glassy crust. (See detail photos.) There are examples of ancient Persian oil lamps with long necks, drip pans below, and brighter turquoise glazing, but I find the compact form of this one, and the depth of the glaze color, especially beautiful.
The Seljuk Empire, founded in 1037 by Tuğrul Beg and Chağribey Beg, was a powerful Turko-Persian Sunni Muslim dynasty that dominated a vast territory from Western Anatolia and the Levant to Central Asia and the Persian Gulf. At its height, it played a pivotal role in shaping Islamic art, architecture, and culture, blending Turkic traditions with Persian influences.
3 1/2" widest across (handle to spout) x 2 3/4" across in opposite direction x 2" t. Beautiful condition. Purchased from a longtime New Hampshire dealer of very wonderful things from around the world, ancient to 20th c.
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