For years the lamp has been constantly wanted by the evil vizier, Jafar, until Aladdin got a hold of it and was granted three wishes.
The lamp was hidden away in the mysterious Cave of Wonders for centuries. Additional areas that are mentioned (but unseen) include a ballroom and a breakfast nook. Despite this, the interior has been fully seen as part of of the Inside the Genie's Lamp featurette, in which the lamp boasts a large living room, dining room, a master bedroom with a 'fly in' closet, and even a garden decorated with topiaries, flora, and water features. The interior was described by Genie as very cramped and small. The lamp itself resembles an oil lamp, which have been used as 'genie lamps' in Arabian folklore for generations. As one of the most powerful objects in the universe, the lamp was hidden deep within the Cave of Wonders, a cavern that can only be summoned by a golden scarab and entered by an individual known as the Diamond in the Rough.
The lamp has existed for millennia, though it's origins are unknown.