Newari Oil Lamp Depicting Salamander

Rough-edged lamp with a tiny turtle-like creature sitting in its shallow dish.

This stone oil lamp depicting a salamander from the Newari people is Newari, from Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, and dates to the late 19th or early 20th century. Animal forms are common in South Asian and Himalayan decorative arts, where creatures often carry symbolic meanings that differ between regions and traditions. Squat oval dish with a long, blunt handle extending to one side. A small animal figure sits in the center of the shallow bowl. The surface is dark, crusty and pitted, with a heavy, handmade look. It is 7 inches wide, 3 deep and 2.5 high.

Crude, cheerful and delightfully unpolished throughout.