SULTAN QAIT BEY

This pyramidal lantern is a recreation of the classic Mamluki brass thurayya, which originated in the 14th century and was widely used up to the end of the Mamluk period. The artist's design is based upon a late 15th-century lantern from the mosque of Sultan Ashraf Qait Bey in Fayyoum, which is on display at the Islamic Musem in Cairo. The engraved calligraphic incription in Naskh style is an extended glorification of Qait Bey, "the learned, the just, the holy warrior, the defender, the protector of frontiers," etc. including an allusion to the Sultan's 1475 pilgrimage to Makkah. This suggests that the lantern may have been one of many fabricated as gifts to the Ka'aba, which were ultimately never sent.

The shape of the lantern is an austere, truncated hexagonal pyramid ended in splayed crenelated cresting (sharafat) surmounted by a dome and finial which evokes the finials of a minaret or the canopies of an Islamic pulpit, or minbar. This feature was common to many lantern designs of the Mamluk period. The central panel of each of the six sides featured an engraved roundel (jaamah), surrounded by hundreds of small hand-drilled performations. The disk at the center of the roundel contained an engraved inscription of the name of Qait Bey.

The lantern shown here is a meticulous recreation of the shape and proportions of the original but with a development and refinement of the decorative work. The perforations on the panels are smaller, more numerous and drilled with greater precision upon an etched geometrical background. The roundels are etched with floral patterns of greater detail than the original. An etched inscription at the center of the jaamah reads: "Always Prosperity." The calligraphy set upon a field of floral arabesque patterns is in the Thuluth style. The upper band reads: Victory is from God." The lower band contains the Qur'anic verse which translates as: "Surely We have given you a clear victory."

Scrolled trefoil stem arabesques etched upon 1 mm thick bands of brass have been soldered to the upper and lower edges of the lantern body. Thirteen etched and perforated cylindrical qandil holders extend from the base of the lamp.

The lantern dome is engraved with a central band of floral arabesque interrupted by roundels containing the same floral motif. Above and below are bands of interlace which form roundels. A cast brass hook with a flat lower medallion connected to a hinge extends from the dome finial to suspend the lantern.

The Mamluki lantern gives off a dim, glowing light intended to create a warm, intimate atmosphere rather than cast a strong, illuminating light. Mosque lighting had intrinsically symbolic meaning in Islam, emanating from the Qur'anic verse, "Allah is the Light of the Heavens and the Earth" which describes light enclosed in a niche.

LMAM-16