Newari Stone Oil Lamp

A dark scoop with a small round cup sunk into its neck.

This stone oil lamp is Newari, from Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, and dates to the late 19th or early 20th century. Stone lamps are cut from a block and hollowed to hold oil and a wick, and the weight of the stone makes them stable and long-lasting. A long, low form with a wide oval bowl on the left and a smaller, round recess at the center, next to a ribbed, tapering end. The surface is grey-black with faint carved lines, smooth patches and a few small chips. It is 8 inches wide, 3.5 deep and 2 high.

Two hollows, one object, no explanation needed.