Newari Stone Oil Lamp

A scoop with a reddish, ribbed handle and a deep, dark bowl.

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 flat, tapered form with a deep oval bowl at the left and a handle at the right covered in textured grooves and a reddish tone. The bowl surface is grey-black and slightly pitted. One edge is worn and uneven. It is 6.5 inches wide, 3 deep and 1 high.

Ribbed handle for the grip, red for the swagger.