Shell Lamp or Pouring Vessel

Illustration

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
by
published on 21 February 2018
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This shell was imported from modern-day Oman and was incised and decorated. One end (the upper one) was engraved with a bird's head; the bird's eye would have been inlaid with lapis lazuli. As a lamp, this shell would have contained oil; the wick should have projected from the lower end of the shell. It might also have been used as a pourer in libation rituals. Akkadian to Neo-Sumerian Period, 2300-2100 BCE. From the Royal Cemetery at Ur, Southern Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq. Part of objects allotted to the British Museum from Ur excavation season 1927-1928. (The British Museum, London).

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About the Author

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
Associate Professor of Neurology and lover of the Cradle of Civilization, Mesopotamia. I'm very interested in Mesopotamian history and always try to take photos of archaeological sites and artifacts in museums, both in Iraq and around the world.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Amin, O. S. M. (2018, February 21). Shell Lamp or Pouring Vessel. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/8128/shell-lamp-or-pouring-vessel/

Chicago Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Shell Lamp or Pouring Vessel." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified February 21, 2018. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/8128/shell-lamp-or-pouring-vessel/.

MLA Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Shell Lamp or Pouring Vessel." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 21 Feb 2018. Web. 22 Jan 2025.

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