Amazigh Stone Oil Lamp

Amazigh People, 19th Century or Earlier, Anti-Atlas Region, Morocco

Enchanting and unusual hand-carved stone oil lamp of triangular form, created by Amazigh tribes of the Anti-Atlas region. Fashioned from a coarse, dense stone, the lamp features a deep ovoid reservoir carved into its upper surface to hold oil and wick, while the reverse remains flat for stable placement. Its bold geometric shape and time-worn contours lend it an especially powerful and archaic presence.

The Amazigh (plural Imazighen, meaning “free and noble people”) are the Indigenous inhabitants of North Africa, whose cultural history stretches back more than nine millennia, to the Proto-Mediterranean populations of the region. Their artistic traditions—deeply tied to land, ancestry, and symbolism—reflect both practicality and spirituality, with stone, clay, and metal objects playing central roles in everyday life and ritual practice.

Although often referred to as Berbers, this exonym—derived from the Greek term for “foreigner” or “barbarian”—carries negative connotations and is widely rejected by the Amazigh themselves. Today, their cultural identity remains strong, especially in the mountainous and desert regions of Morocco, where traditional crafts continue to be produced in forms echoing ancient prototypes.

This lamp, with its beautifully patinated surface and minimalist, almost sculptural presence, is an evocative survivor of Amazigh domestic tradition—an object of both ethnographic interest and striking aesthetic appeal.

Good condition. Significant wear from handling and use.Intact. Chip and nicks. Rich dark encrusted patina and soot. Size approx. 7,3cm x 6,3cm x 3,8cm.

Provenance: Dutch private collection