North Pacific, Hawaiian Islands, Pre-Contact Period, ca. 18th century CE or earlier. A hand-carved stone lamp used for burning oil extracted from the kukui nut, which translates to "candle nut." The conical vessel features a relatively flat and stable base, walls that gradually expand to form the thick rim, and a shallow basin in the center. Light was produced from this lamp by filling the interior with kukui nut oil, igniting one end of a tapa-bark wick, and placing the unlit end inside the oil; the amount of light generated depended on the number of wicks used. Size: 4.1" W x 2.75" H (10.4 cm x 7 cm); 4.25" H (10.8 cm) on included custom stand.
Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection
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#160905
Condition
One stable fissure stemming from rim and down one side of wall, with nicks and abrasions to body commensurate with age, char marks within basin commensurate with use, and scattered areas of iron oxidation, otherwise intact and very good. Great preservation to overall form.