Obj. ID: 23655  Hanukkah lamp, Algeria, circa 1900

The following description was prepared by William Gross: The Festival of Chanukah is celebrated in the winter period around December and commemorates a Biblical story in which the Jews of the Land of Israel rebel against the Greek occupiers. They reclaim the desecrated Holy Temple in Jerusalem and, miraculously, the small amount of pure oil remaining is enough to keep the Temple light going for eight days. Lamps with eight burners are lit during this holiday, both in the synagogue and at home. Through the centuries, such lamps have taken a wide variety of forms.

Almost all Chanukah lamps made in North Africa are either of artisan worked sheet brass or of sand cast brass. This type of cast Chanukah menorah, perhaps more than any other, represents this object from Algeria. The half-round back with birds and the three almost-abstracted stars with crescent along with the pointed arches make this highly representative of the area. This model is known in several variations, but is still rare and sought after for collections.