The tradition of transforming everyday utensils into playfully ambiguous objects is a hallmark of Islamic art. In this traditional bronze lamp, whose shape harks back to classical antiquity, the artist saw the possibilities of transforming its handle into a pair of confronted birds. Intended to provide light and perhaps to amuse as well, the lamp was likely meant for personal use, given its small scale. A very similar lamp was excavated by the Metropolitan Museum of Art at Nishapur, in northeastern Iran.