{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1502"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1502/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF6080/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF6080/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AF6080","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA4143","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1502/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1502","accessionNumber":"580-1875","objectType":"Mosque lamp","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This mosque lamp was made for Qijlis, a high official who had been the sultan’s armourer. His emblem was a sword, which can be seen in the large roundels. Between the roundels is a quotation from the Qur’an that mentions ‘the mosques of God’.\r\n\r\nBefore the introduction of electricity, lighting was an expensive luxury. Providing lighting in an Islamic religious building was therefore seen as an act of generosity to the community that would be rewarded by God. Donors paid for lamps and the supply of oil and wicks they required. During Mamluk rule (1250-1517) in Egypt and Syria, donors commissioned lamps and lamp-holders of glass and metal that were often large and impressive. Inscriptions recorded the donors’ names.","physicalDescription":"Enamelled and gilt glass mosque lamp.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"glass","id":"AAT10797"}],"techniques":[{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"},{"text":"enamelling","id":"x37485"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Glass, gilt and enamelled","categories":[{"text":"Islam","id":"THES48932"},{"text":"Glass","id":"THES48946"},{"text":"Lighting","id":"THES48925"},{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"}],"styles":[{"text":"Mamluk","id":"AAT21601"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2006AF6080","2017KA4143"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"42 (VA)","id":"THES49806"},"free":"","case":"14E","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Mosque Lamp","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Egypt","id":"x29512"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1320-1330","earliest":"1320-01-01","latest":"1330-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"28.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"25.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"maximum","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Inscription of Qur'an IX, 18 on neck and 'This is what was made a waqf by the servant yearning for God, the Exalted, hoping for the pardon of his generous Lord, Qijlis (officer), of al-Malik al-Nasir' and three medallions on neck bear coats of arms - emblems of the armour-bearer.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"Decoration","note":"Decoration"}],"objectHistory":"Said to have been found in Dair Saiyidinaiya, a monastry near Damascus, Syria. Qijlis was promoted arms-bearer to al-Nasir Muhammad, Mamluk Sultan of Egypt, in 1321, and died in 1331. His first state office was in 1317 when he was appointed leader of the pilgrimage.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Lamp made for the Mamluk official Qijlis, Egypt or Syria, ca. 1320-1330.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"L.A.Mayer, <i>Saracenic heraldry: a survey</i> (Oxford) 1933, p.190."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"swords","id":"AAT37048"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Jameel Gallery \r\n\r\nLamp of Qijlis\r\nEgypt or Syria\r\n1320-30\r\n\r\nThe lamp was made for Qijlis, a high official who had been the sultan's armourer. His emblem was a sword, which can be seen in the large roundels. Between the roundels is a quotation from the Qur'an that mentions 'the mosques of God'. \r\n\r\nGlass, gilded and enamelled\r\n\r\nMuseum no. 580-1875","date":{"text":"Jameel Gallery","earliest":"2006-07-20","latest":null}},{"text":"MOSQUE-LAMP\r\nGlass enamelled and gilt.\r\nInscribed with a dedication to Saif ad-Din Qijlis an-Nasiri, Arms -bearer to the Sultan an-Nasir Muhammad.\r\nSaid to come from a monastery near Damascus.\r\nSYRIAN; perhaps made in 1313.","date":{"text":"Old gallery label","earliest":null,"latest":"2003-11-30"}}],"partNumbers":["580-1875"],"accessionNumberNum":"580","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1875,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Glass gallery number","id":"THES50491"},"number":"6218"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LM5800","2019LT3693","2019LW7561"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-18","recordCreationDate":"1997-12-13","availableToBook":false}}