Newari Oil Lamp Depicting Animal

A small stone lamp in the shape of a creature, still holding its shape.

Newari craftsmen of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, carved this oil lamp depicting an animal in stone in the late 19th or early 20th century. Oil lamps are commonly used in Newari homes and temples for daily and ritual offerings. The lamp is a shallow, oval well at the front, with a short, tapered body behind it. A small metal pin or stud sits at the shoulder. The stone is weathered and grey-brown, with pale, chalky patches in the bowl.

About 7 inches long. Plain, worn, and dignified.