Islamic glass is glass made in the Islamic world, especially in periods up to the 19th century. It built on pre-Islamic cultures in the Middle East, especially ancient Egyptian, Persian and Roman glass, and developed distinct styles, characterized by the introduction of new techniques and the reinterpreting of old traditions. It came under European influence by the end of the Middle Ages, with imports of Venetian glass documented by the late 15th century.
Egyptian mosque lamp with enamelled glass and gilding, 1360.
Hedwig glass with eagle, Rijksmuseum, wheel-cut relief with hatched details, 12th-century. Imitating rock crystal and exported to Europe.
14th-century bottle with Chinese-style animals in enamels, Syria or Egypt
Bowl with paint, late 10th–early 11th century, 4 3/16 in. (10.7 cm) tall
Fine mosque lamps are usually made of enamelled glass, often with gilding. They are oil lamps, usually with a large round body and a narrower neck that flares towards the top. They were often made with internal containers to be filled with oil and a wick to produce light. Some were also made in Islamic pottery, though this was much less efficient for actual lighting.
Egyptian enamelled glass mosque lamp made for Amir Qawsun, ca. 1329–1335
The later plain type hanging in Istanbul
Modern electric lighting in Amman
İznik pottery lamp with lotuses c. 1510. Similar to four lamps that hung in the mausoleum of Bayezid II in Istanbul
