Polycandelon for six oil lamps / Artist Unknown, Coptic, Egypt
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About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1965/2.54
- Title
- Polycandelon for six oil lamps
- Artist Nationality
- Egyptian
- Medium and Support
- bronze
- Object Creation Date
- 500-599
- Object Creation Place
- Africa (continent)
- Egypt (nation)
- Creation Place 1
- Africa (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- Egypt (nation)
- Credit Line
- Museum Purchase
- Style/Group/Movement
- Coptic
- Dimensions
- 31 cm x 25 cm x 25 cm (12 3/16 in. x 9 13/16 in. x 9 13/16 in.)
- Century
- 6th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Decorative Arts
- Primary Object Type
- chandelier
- Secondary Object Classification
- Sculpture
- Secondary Object Type
- casting
- Physical Description
- This bronze light fixture consists of a central circular celestial motif from which extend twelve arms in a radial pattern. Six of these arms, embellished with maltese crosses, end in omega-shaped terminals. These decorated arms alternate with six unadorned arms that terminate in rings designed to hold glass oil lamps. The entire disk is suspended from three bronze chains joined to a large hook.
- Subject Matter
- This remarkably well-preserved bronze polycandelon from Coptic Egypt features six rings around its circumference that were designed to hold conical or beaker-shaped glass oil lamps. Similar bronze polycandela were common throughout the eastern Mediterranean and were used to light the interiors of both sacred and domestic structures, but the maltese crosses on six of the radial arms of this polycandelon suggest that it originally hung in a church. Another repeated Christian motif occurs around the edge of the polycandelon where the six rings for the oil lamps alternate with six terminals in the shape of an omega--the last letter of the Greek alphabet, which was associated with Christ who declared "I am the Alpha and the Omega" (Revelation 1:8 and 22:13). These Christian symbols together with the celestial motif at the center of the polycandelon might have imbued the light cast by this fixture with a religious significance beyond its solely utilitarian function.
- Primary Keywords
- bronze (metal)
- chandeliers
- coptic (christianity)
- egypt (nation)
- lamps (lighting devices)
- maltese crosses
- Secondary Keywords
- associated concepts
- christianity
- copper alloy
- copper and copper alloy
- crosses (motifs)
- descriptors
- design elements
- furnishings
- furnishings by form or function
- geographic and political locations
- inorganic material
- lighting devices
- lighting devices by form
- materials
- materials by composition
- metal
- metal and metal products
- metal by composition or origin
- middle east (general region)
- motifs
- nonferrous metal
- objects we use
- people and culture
- religions
- religions and religious concepts
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 949 x 1481
- File Size
- 84 KB
- Record
- 1965/2.54
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1965-sl-2.54/1965_2.54.jpg
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Related Links
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IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1965-SL-2.54:1965_2.54.JPG
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- Full citation
-
"Polycandelon for six oil lamps; Artist Unknown, Coptic, Egypt." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1965-sl-2.54/1965_2.54.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 18, 2024.